In Lively Spirits
by headfirst
Summary: Begining of Season two, may contain spoilers for rest of season. A third Casablancas? A 'little' sister, starting highschool and dealing with the abuse of her stepmother. Where do her brothers fit into her life? New June 15 09!
1. Chapter 1

_Hello there, welcome to my first Veronica Mars fic. You may think I'm a bit out there with this whole sister thing, but please give it a try? You may end up liking it. And if you don't, hey, I'm cool with that. Thanks anyway.  
So this takes place at the begining of season TWO. Spoilers will get into play about the finale eventually. Anything else I need to say? If something is unclear, please let me know. Thanks Reviews are nice._

**In Lively Spirits**

"Dick, do you think it'd be safe to come in? It's been an entire day and you haven't had any physical contact with a girl. I just wanna make sure you aren't in the middle of 'waxing your board' if I come in there. Dare I?"

"Oh Chipper, so young. So innocent." His door quickly opened and he promptly appeared, now leaning on the door frame. He gave her a look, questioning why she did just come to his humble abode.

"Well, seeing as Dad isn't in town tonight, and LakerMom can't really cook, me and Beav ordered some pizza. I mean, it will be there all night, but incase you wanted to come eat with us.. just wanted to let you know." She gave him a small smile and started her way down the hall. Dick stood at his door, contemplating the situation. His little sister had just interrupted his game of Halo to announce there was, what a shocker, pizza for dinner.

"Hey, Dickey, did I mention I made brownies?" She shot back at him, taking a dash to the kitchen. His eyebrows sparked with surprise and a twinge of happiness. One good thing about having his sister around, she was the only one who could master their mom's 'secret' recipe brownies.

Tempting.

--

"Hey, Beav, tell me your ordered a pizza that isn't loaded completely with meat!" She walked into their massive kitchen, and took a seat on one of the stools. She stared eagerly at the boxes in front of her, and looked up at her brother.

"Don't worry Chipper, there's a plain, old, pepperoni and cheese in this pile somewhere," Cassidy smiled at his sister, turning one of the boxes around and handing her a plate.

"Augh, you know I prefer being called Wynne, you know, my given name." She was growing tired of the nickname her dad gave her. Was it her fault she was always so happy and optimistic as a child?

"Really? Incase you didn't know, I go by Cassidy."

"Fair enough." She smiled, and grabbed a slice of pizza, "I think Dick should be down any minute, I mentioned the brownies." She chuckled a bit, and shook her head. She quickly hopped off her stool and headed over to the fridge. She quickly grabbed a bottle of water for herself and a Red Bull for her brother.

The house was pretty quiet for this time of day. It can probably be blamed on the fact the three Casablancas children head back to school tomorrow. Their summer was over. It seems everyone was trying to soak in the last bits of summer. Wynne had been either in the pool, or beside it for most of the day while both her brothers had been in and out of the house. Luckily their step-mother had been out shopping for most of the day, which always relieved Wynne. If Kendall wasn't around, she couldn't nag on her about her flaws.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Dick slide across the kitchen floor in his socks. He piled up slices of pizza on his plate and landed on the stool beside her, making her surrounded by her brothers. He bit through half of a slice of pizza in a bite, and quickly chewed before speaking.

"So little Wynner, are you reading for high school?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows. She thought for a second. She probably wasn't, but oh well.

"Ready as I can be, I guess. I mean, I am prepared for seeing and being ignored by you two at school now." She smirked a bit, and sipped her water.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Dick rubbed his hand over her hair, making sure about every strand of the natural blonde (and underneath bottled bits of brunette) were now out of place, "You're just a new target."

"Ha-ha, thanks," She did her best to laugh along, but hearing him say something like that worried her. This was her brother, Dick Casablancas. Sure, he wasn't smart, but he knew a lot of people at Neptune High and he was entering his last year of high school. And everyone knows seniors demand respect from anyone lower then them in the school, and freshmen just meant someone else to poke fun at.

Cassidy just laughed along with his brother. He personally knew he wouldn't do anything like that to his sister, because Dick would have that covered. Not to mention the fact he actually enjoyed doing it. Wynne was more of a friend than a sister to him sometimes. She and him had gone through the same things, things they never talked about. Things they swore not to bring up, but they both leaned on each other since then. She was a lot better to talk to than Dick was. At least she held a straight face and had a sense of maturity to her. He loved her for that. Plus, since their new 'step mom' showed up, he found it was a lot easier to joke about her with Wynne, seeing as half the time Dick took 10.5 more seconds to get the joke.

"Who's up for brownies?"

Both boys' perked up at the sound of one of their favourite desserts. Wynne always knew copying down her mother's recipe would come in handy. Hopefully it would show her brothers something about herself. Warn them?

"What's your secret ingredient in these anyways?" Cassidy asked his sister, taking a bite out of his piece. It always perplexed him. Such a simple chocolaty fudge masterpiece which always left them wanting more.

"Probably crack, or something just as addicting.." Dick spoke, heading for a second piece.

"Really wanna know what it is Cass? It's just eating you inside, isn't it?" She leaned in beside her brother, as he eagerly awaited her response.

"Yeah?"

"It's loooooooove!"

Or maybe it was the doubled amount of chocolate found in the original recipe.

--

Cassidy and Dick were sprawled out on the couch, eyes glued to the action game on the TV, and Wynne was sitting snugly in an armchair, (eyes glued to her laptop) when they heard the rustle of shopping bags echo throughout their house. It was as if they all sighed at once. Kendall was home from another one of her shopping trips. As her brothers returned their attention to their X-Box, Wynne followed the sounds of her stepmother as she made noise through the house. Kicking off her shoes, dropping her purchases near one of her closet, and back through the house.

She came into the wreck room, from the direction of the kitchen. She glanced around and, of course, quickly disapproved.

"I'm so glad you're going back to school tomorrow. I'm sick of you just, doing nothing productive." She glanced down at her nails, then to her watch.

"Productive like spending our dad's money?" Cassidy shot out. Both Dick and Wynne started laughing, while their 'mother' just scoffed.

"You know what, I'll pretend you didn't say that. And stop leaving all that gross calorie filled food out." She shook her head, then started walking out of the room. She drifted passed Wynne, and said quietly enough for her to hear, "Because, you know, some of us need to cut out some of the carbs and fat in our diet, don't we?"

Wynne glared up at her, and watched as she smirked and walked out of the room. It seemed Kendall Casablancas can never say anything civil to her step-daughter. She knew just the right things to say, at just the right tone, to drive her into the depths of her mind and question everything about herself. She sighed and shut her laptop. She knew she didn't have to listen to her, and she knew she shouldn't, but of course that didn't mean she wouldn't take the things she said to heart.

She got up off the chair and dashed up to her bedroom, carefully placing her laptop onto her desk then she headed to the bathroom. It was quite incontinent she had to share a bathroom with Cassidy, but, hey, it was a lot better then sharing with Dick. She stared into the mirror, and looked at herself. It's not that she was fat, she just wasn't stick skinny. She turned, and looked at herself from the side. Maybe I could stand to lost a few pounds..

'You're a Casablancas! There is never a need to worry about anything.'

Whatever you say, Dad.

Suddenly Dick appeared at the open doorway with that look on his face where you knew he was going to attempt to give you advice.

"You know Chip, no matter how long you stare at that mirror, you can never beat yourself in a staring contest." He coasted down the hallway, chuckling to himself.

There really was no need to worry. Wynne smiled to herself a bit. If Dick could get through highschool, she'd do just fine.


	2. Chapter 2

"You know Chipper, an apple really isn't a decent breakfast, especially on the first day of school." 

"I missed you too Dad!" Wynne gave her father a smile as they sat in the dining room for breakfast. She continued to munch on her choice fruit, and ignored the large amounts of regular breakfast cereals and bagels spread in front of her. "I'm just not really hungry, you know, nervous about school."

"You have nothing to worry about, you'll do fine." 'Big' Dick replied to his youngest offspring. She gave him a weak smile and tossed the rest of her apple into the trash. She was ready, right? She shook her head and told herself not to worry.

"I'll be right back Dad." she told him as she swept passed him and made her way to her room.

"Chipper! Make sure your brothers are ready to go!"

She sighed and gave him an okay. It's called an alarm clock, and they both had one. As she headed down the hallway towards her bedroom, she banged loudly on both Cassidy's and Dick's door. She smiled to herself, as she knew soon enough each of them would open their doors and announce that they were 'almost ready' or 'needed a minute'.

As she dashed into her room, she moved past her desk and her bed to her vanity, to look in the mirror. She was judging herself, and she wondered how she'd fit in. Her bright red polo accented her fair skin, and the dark jeans blended in nicely. She wasn't dressed to impress, she was dressed to make a name for herself. Cassidy was pretty smart, he did his own thing. Dick wasn't too bright, but he made his way. All the girls in school knew him. Hello! He is Dick Casablancas. He goes to the parties, he's one of the top 09ers.

"Okay, Wynne, if you make your way back to your room once more before we leave, I'm going to have to take down that mirror."

She rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for being so considerate Cass." She replied, grabbing her bag. She slipped it over her shoulder, and let it rest at her side. Quickly taking a look around her room, she sighed and followed her brother out the door and back downstairs.

"Just a heads up, you usually don't have to bring much to school on your first day, including your rollerblades, seeing as you have a ride home with me and Dick."

She rolled her eyes.

It's just nice to have a way to escape.

--

Locker 665.

Was it fate that brought her to this locker, numbered one away from the devil, or just stupid luck? If you could even call that luck. Bad luck to say the least.

Wynne took her time as she walked down the hallway, dodging large groups of people and tuning out any 'like no way!' kind of conversations. Those were the kind of things you didn't like to hear in the morning, especially if you hadn't had any coffee yet. She watched the numbers on the lockers roll by and ending up twisting around a few corners, until she finally started seeing 600s on the locker. Then she spotted it, 665, last one on the bottom row of lockers directly across from the guys washroom.

Perfect.

She walked up to her locker, ignoring the other people sharing the row with her. She didn't want to talk to them, and she was sure they didn't want to talk to her. All people do is judge. And as she opened her locker, after fiddling with her lock, that is just what she did. The people occupying the lockers near her were dressed mostly in black, with tattoos showing on any open skin. They all seems to be of Mexican decent too, laughing and swearing at each other. She sighed and shuffled her rollerblades into the compact space in front of her. She knew who her locker mates were going to be all year, she'd heard Dick complain about them all the time with his friends. Members of that PCH motorcycle gang.

"Do people call this ironic?" She said to herself, shaking her head. She then did her best to close her locker, but it just wasn't closing right. This is great. She pushed harder and harder on the hunk of metal she knew she would hate all year. As she was beginning to hope for someone she knew to walk down the hallway, even Dick, the bell rang. She had maybe four minutes to find her homeroom before second, not to mention final, bell sounded.

"Hey, you think you could stop that banging, All-Star?" She glanced away from her locker to see the group of bikers breaking apart from each other, but the one who seemed to be the leader was left standing in front of her.

"If you can get my locker to close, the banging will stop." she paused, brushing her hair behind her ear, "All-Star?" She gave him a confused look. He quickly moved in front of her and slammed her locker shut.

"It's your shoes." he replied simply, looking her up and down. Then it clicked. She was wearing a pair of green Chuck Taylor all-stars. Now the evil biker man had a nickname for her, which didn't make her relax a lot.

"Oh, uhm.. thanks." she said, pulling a folded up sheet of paper out of her pocket. Her homeroom was English, in room 108. It helped that she had no idea where that was.

"I advise you to be careful on this side of the school, but I like you. So, I'll be nice." There was strength growing in his eyes, made her not want to look away. "Don't listen too hard when you're around my crew, and they'll like you too. And you might enjoy having your locker here." He smiled. She wasn't sure how 'nice' he was being, but she took the warning.

"Weevil, you know, hitting on freshmen only scares them off," Wynne recognized that voice. She turned her head to see one of her brother's friends strolling down the hallway. His name escaped her. Logan, maybe?

"Maybe you should just mind your own business." Weevil replied, taking a step away from the lockers to confront him in the middle of the hallway. It was pretty dead now, most people already in their classrooms.

Before Logan could get a word in, someone else appeared in the hallway. He was the vice principal, if Wynne could remember correctly from the freshmen assembly. She started to walk away from the situation, but then she recalled she had no idea where to go. Stuck.

"Is there a problem here boys?" Wynne decided it would be best to jump in, so there wouldn't be any trouble.

"Not really, sir. They were just arguing about whether room 108 is near the gym, or near the front office. It seems they've both forgotten their way around this place over the summer. It's my fault anyway, I'm looking for my homeroom.." She trailed off, avoiding the looks of both Logan and Weevil.

"Is that right?" He gave Wynne a perplexed look, then glanced over at the two boys.

"Yes, it is. You see Principal Clemmons, Eli here seems to believe room 108 is located near the gym-"

"While my dear friend Logan insists it's near the front office.."

The authority figure looked back at Wynne, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, first of all, you are both wrong. Room 108 is on the east side of the school. Mr. Echolls, on your way to class, please escort this young lady to her room. And if I see you three in the hallway, in a situation of this kind, tomorrow, it'll be a detention. This is the begining of the year, but this is your final year, young men. You should shape up." And with that, he was off down the hallway, shaking his head and muttering things to himself.

"Thanks for that All-Star, I'll see you around," Wynne was now left alone, in the empty hallway, with one of Dick's close friends. They began to walk down the hall, Logan leading a bit.

"Nice move you pulled there," he said to her, turning around and walking backwards for a bit,"You do that often for complete strangers?"

Complete strangers? He didn't know who she was. She sighed, out of relief.

"All the time." she replied smoothly, looking down at her timetable. After all those days he swam in their pool in the summer, and all those nights he stayed over to play X-Box, he didn't recognize her. It disappointed her a bit, but she was okay with it.

"Can you at least tell me your name? I may have to look out for you." He asked her this just as they reached room 108, where morning announcements were being broadcasted.

"Yes, actually I can." she started walking into the room, but turned back at the last minute, "but I'm not going to."

--

After listening to lecture after lecture in each of her classes that day, Wynne decided that 'it would be wise to further her educational career by joining a club or team in the school.' Except it wasn't a club or team she wanted to join, she was headed to the yearbook room. As she'd heard, the yearbook committee was always open to new members. Plus, she figured that would be a good way to see what everyone in the school looked like.

After asking a few people in the hallway, she finally found the yearbook room and quickly knocked on the door. After being welcomed in, she looked around the room, which was filled with a few computers and a few people reading through old yearbooks.

"It's what we do at the beginning of every year, scope out new ideas." Wynne listened to the head of the yearbook committee drone on and on about last year's yearbook and how great it was. When asked what she was good at, Wynne just shrugged.

"I'm okay with computers, and I've been told I'm sort of creative-"

"Great, you'll be on design. Welcome to the yearbook crew. Oh, and here is your permission slip for the field trip in a few days.. The Goodman family is taking the journalism class, the staff from the paper and the yearbook committee to some sport stadium. Bus there, bus back. Just need parental consent and you miss a full day of school."

She smiled and tucked the sheet of paper into her packsack, saying her goodbyes and heading out of the room. Sweet deal, she already had a way to miss school. Plus, she had safely avoided talking to either of her brothers all day. That was a good thing right?

Just as she began thinking about that fact, she saw Cassidy walking down the hallway towards her.

"Hey, Wynne, c'mon we have to go. I have some.. things to get finished at home, and Dick wants to get out of this place. He's never been good at getting back into his school schedule." He was talking rather fast, and she knew the look he had in his eyes. There was something going on. They started to walk out to Dick's truck, which was parked beside a bright, yellow SUV.

"So, how was your first day of school anyway?" Cassidy asked her, as they walked up to the silver truck.

"Interesting to say the least," she said quietly, stopping in front of Dick, who was leaning against the back talking to Logan.

"Chipper, what took you so long? I wanna get out of here!" Dick said to his sister, motioning to the truck. She sighed and nodded her head, getting into the back seat of the vehicle.

"That's your sister?" Logan asked his friend, who just gave him the weirdest look.

"Uh, yeah, that's Wynne. She's been my sister for like.. 14 years I think. You must have met her sometime this summer. She was always hanging out around the house."

Logan thought for a second, but didn't seem to remember her. Although, the new Casablancas step mom was very nice on the eyes, so sometimes he didn't even notice Dick.

To say the least, he found her.. interesting.

* * *

_Well, that was the second chapter, what do you think? I took a bit more time writing this one, beta-ing it and spell checking it more than once. Thanks for the reviews, they're always helpful. And I was surprised, this story ended up on two alerts, and y'all didn't even review! Haha, kidding. I just wanna know what you guys think! Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

Three identical pink permission slips sat on the table outside 'Big' Dick's office at home. The chances that Dick and Cassidy were in the same journalism class, and got to go on the same field trip as their little sister, were unbelievable. The one chance for Wynne to get away from her family, and escape the Casablancas name and there it was, tarnished.

That was just the way life worked. Growing up, Wynne never got to do things on her own. Nothing was just hers. Minus the fact she was the girl, and she was the one who cried the most when their mom left. Hell, she was the only one crying when their mom left. She tended to not speak for herself. And that fact led Wynne to playing baseball with Cassidy. She was fast, but couldn't throw very well. She was backcatcher, and, well, let's just say they didn't win because of her.

_"Don't worry, I can give you two a ride home. I gave Marcos and Peter a ride home last week"_

One time their dad doesn't come pick them up, just once.

--

"Oh Chiiiipper.."

Brother number one.

"Oh Diiick!"

Wynne flipped up her sunglasses, and opened her eyes. She was tanning and it was probably her last amount of time she would have to do so before school went into full momentum.

"Would it bother you if I jumped into the pool right now?"

Yes.

"No, of course not." she replied to her brother dryly, hoping he would notice the thick layer of sarcasm.

"In that case.." Wynne shielded herself with a towel as her brother cannonballed into the pool. Before she could say something snappy, another voice sounded.

"Wynne?"

Brother number two.

"Yeah?" Not even a second to spare and flip her sunglasses back down.

"Mom," he said that with airquotes, "wants to see you in the kitchen. She is attempting to make dinner with dad, who's grilling various meats.." He motioned toward the house, and shrugged. Wynne sighed, and took her things with her into the house. The air conditioning was blasting, and she felt it the moment she stepped into the kitchen. That was where she spotted Kendall, moving salad from one prepackaged container to another. "Helping" with supper meant counting out the carbs and calories in her salad.

Wynne coughed a bit, not feeling the need to speak to get her attention. Too much effort. And effort that needn't be wasted on Kendall out of all people.

She turned around and paused from her salad making. She smiled at Wynne a bit. But it wasn't a friendly smile. It was more one of those 'I'm smiling at you because I don't want to, but your dad could walk in anytime so I will anyway.'

"Seeing as I was making a salad for myself for dinner, chicken ceasar light, I was wondering, if you wanted one too." She had that look in her eye. The same look she always had when she pressured her youngest step child. That look that almost killed Wynne on the inside. It was so judgmental that it shuffled Wynne into a harsh reality.

"Yeah, that sounds good, I'll have one." Wynne replied simply, her mood completely changed. She felt so terrible now, so bad. So wrong. Like everything about her physical self was incorrect. Not to mention everything going on in her head.

"Chipper!" This time it was her dad. Great. He walked into the kitchen, carrying a plate of full of grilled burgers and steak. "I made you a burger, or as you used to say DaddyBurger!"

"Thanks for say thing just as Dick and Cass walk in, Dad." Wynne replied to him, "And, I'm having a salad tonight instead.." Big Dick looked at his daughter, a surprised look on his face. It seemed Dick and Cassidy looked that way too.

"Yeah, oh my god! Wynne's having a salad! Big shocker there guys!" She rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.

Boys are dumb.

--

Wynne stared at the ceiling in her room. Dinner had been awkward for her. Not to mention quiet. Aside from Dick making jokes, and their step-mom going on and on about her shopping purchases, just to make their dad smile, it was nothing. Cassidy was quiet too. That wasn't too odd, good 'ol Dad always paid more attention to Dick. It was just part of the game. She knew what she could do, run. Just run and take her mind off of things.

She quickly changed into a pair of sweats and tied her hair up into a ponytail. She grabbed her iPod off it's dock, and slipped out of her room. She didn't want to have to stop and make conversation with anyone. Not that there was anyone to make conversation with. Her dad was probably watching tv with his wife, or.. other things. Dick was doing who knows what. And Cassidy was holed up in his bedroom, liked he'd been most of the day. Which was odd, but Wynne decided not to question it.

She headed down to the main level of their house, walking to the far end of the house. Sometimes she forgot they had this mini-gym in their house. It didn't seem like a lot of people used it. Kendall had a gym membership instead which Wynne never questioned. If it meant her stepmother wasn't at home, she was fine with it. The treadmill was all she needed. There was two of them, side by side. This made her smile a bit. It was where her father and mother used to work out together, and just run together. Be together.

She hopped onto the first treadmill and slipping her headphones into her ear. The soothing sounds of The Fray swam through her mind.

Something is scratching its way out Something you want to forget about "Whoa, I totally forgot about this room." a voice spoke. Wynne turned her head slightly, and there stood her brother Dick.

Wynne suddenly regretted not shutting the door, and not turning up the volume in her headphones. It's not that she doesn't like talking to her brother, it was just the things he talked about. And the way he talked. Like he didn't care at all. It wasn't so hard and dry that she felt offended, it was just so loose and casual that it bothered her. Why talk if you aren't going bother showing a hint of emotion during the conversation?

"Can I help you?" she spoke, slipping out an earphone, as he walked into the room a bit more. "No, I'm good." He threw her one of his smirks and she shook her head.

It was all so pointless.

"But really," he started, leaning on the treadmill so he faced her, "Are you excited for the field trip? Me, you, Beav, countless other people"

"Karma." She said simply, continuing to jog in front of him.

"Whatever you say Chipper." And with that, he walked out of the room, shaking his head and laughing to himself. She continued to run for another 15 minutes, then she slowed down and walked. She was wiped, but she kept going. Hopefully this would get her tired enough to actually sleep for one night. It was another ten minutes before someone else headed into the exercise room. Why didn't she shut the door?

"Chipper?"

Chipper? It was her dad this time. It was almost a relief, she didn't want to talk to Dick anymore. She slowed down on the treadmill, and took out her headphones, directing her attention to her dad.

"I, uh, just wanted to bring you your permission slip. Then I realized you weren't in your room, so I came to find you. I forgot all about this room." he slowly walked in, taking a look around. He stopped in front of her, pink paper in hand.

"Thanks." she replied shortly, taking it from him. _Dick Casablancas Sr._

"You okay kiddo? You were sort of quiet at dinner." For a second it seemed her dad was actually parenting. She took in the moment.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired I guess." she shrugged her shoulders, then crossed her arms. It's not like she would actually get into a conversation with her dad about her feelings. That was a laugh.

"You sure?" She nodded her head.

"Okay, in that case, give your old dad a hug!" He quickly wrapped his arms around her, and she returned the hug. A real hug. She couldn't remember the last time she got one.

Once he left the room, she smiled. A smile. It was hard to believe, but for an instant she was happy.

--

_OMGSH! Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter done. I have the entire next chapter written, and it involves the bus crash and everything. I just had to get this one out, and it was hard, so I'm sorry if it.. well, sucked. Haha. I would really love to hear what you think about the chapter, so review pleeease! A good song to listen to, by the way, is Little House by The Fray a few lines featured in this chapter_


	4. Chapter 4

It was still there, still in the same place. Locker 665. Maybe she could pay someone to switch lockers with her. At this age, boys would do anything for a girl that smiled at them. At least the boys in her grade would. Wynne sighed and headed to her locker. The group of students going on the field trip to the stadium would have to be in the parking lot in ten minutes. She dropped off a few binders, then secured her packsack on her shoulders. As much as she didn't want to go to a baseball stadium, after sitting on a bus for an hour with her brothers, she was glad to be away from school. 

It was never a good sign that you were sick of school by day three. It wasn't her fault. She walked down the hallway and headed towards the front door. She figured she could just blame her teachers for her lack of enjoying school.

_"Casablancas, Wynne."_

_She raised her hand from her seat at the back of the room. Science. She knew she wouldn't like the class. The teacher gave her a look then, glanced back at his attendance sheet._

_"Any relation to Dick Casablancas?" Wynne nodded, then pointed to herself, "Sister." It was only the third class this happened in. How come no one asked if she was related to Cassidy?_

_"Do you happen to take after your brother?" Wynne stared at him for a bit. Why was he still droning on and on about her when he still had a full list of names to call?_

_"My mother taught me to be my own person." She said simply, rolling her eyes and laying her head down on her folded arms._

Once outside the school, she quickly scanned the parking lot for the massive yellow school bus. There it was, right in front of her. She watched as she walked. That Kane boy and the snarky girl getting hassled for a quick moment by Logan. Cassidy getting on the bus, followed by Dick, who was laughing at who knows what. She passed Logan and was almost at the door when she was stopped. By words.

"Oh Chipper." She knew that voice. And that voice shouldn't be calling her that. She turned on her heel and faced Logan, a look of contempt on her face.

"You don't look very happy to see me. After all, without me, you wouldn't have made it to your English class yesterday." He smirked, and she quickly glanced at the bus.

"You can't call me Chipper." It just wasn't right to her.

"Isn't that what _nicknames_ are for, Chipper? You don't have nicknames to not be called them. That just wouldn't make sense." There sat that smirk, not budging. She wanted to get on the bus. She wanted him to go back to not knowing her name. She wanted to.. kick him.

"Chipper is a family nickname. You can't call me Chipper unless you know what it means. Or know my full name." she paused, then looked him in the eye, "Do you even know my first name?"

Before he could answer, Dick stepped in.

"Logan, stop flirting with my sister, she's ice. Chipper, get on the damn bus."

Now she had someone else to kick.

--

Gum. She needed gum. She could chew out her anger. A nice package of cinnamon gum would suppress her great feelings of hatred.

That limo had been paid for by their father. By Richard Casablancas, the first. But apparently that didn't matter. Dick chose not to tell her about it, she assumed. It would have been simple. 'Chipper, pops got us a limo. Now only the lower class need to ride on the stank bus.' Plus, it's not like Wynne took up a lot of space. Nor did she have tons of friends that would beg to tag along.

But, no. Here she was stepping out of a vile smelling school bus to take five minutes at a gas station. It wasn't even worth it. The tour of the baseball stadium was one of the stupidest things she would have to endure. No one seemed to enjoy it, everyone was looking forward to the buffet following the tour.

And, to add to her misery, Cassidy was probably calling to tease her. He was calling and calling. Sending text message after text message. She didn't answer once, or reply. Even when he tried using Dick's phone, she just left it be. If he was really that concerned about 'how she was', why didn't he check to make sure she was in the limo?

She didn't need her brothers. She needed gum. She could just rant to her dad about it later. That won't get her anywhere, but he would probably talk to Dick about it. Again, that wouldn't do much at all. All Wynne and her brother Dick had in common was their dad and Beaver. Nothing else. Sure, Dick loved girls but he just wasn't a big fan of his little sister. At least if he had been at one point, he wasn't anymore. He was there to attempt an overprotective side, but mainly he teased and ridiculed. In his dumb way. It wasn't a big deal.

Wynne shook her head and slowly scanned the rack of candies and chewing gum. Where was that bright red package she was looking for? Ah ha. She snatched the last pack of cinnamon gum and placed it on the counter. As the clerk scanned it, she fished for money in her pockets.

"I should be in a limo right now..." she said to herself.

"And I should be in the Play Boy mansion. Everyone has their dreams. That'll be a buck eighty four." She didn't want or need that remark from the thirty or older guy working behind the counter. She hand him some money and grabbed her gum.

"Hey, kid, there's like.. ten bucks here." The clerked called to her as she turned away.

"Like I said, I should be in a limo right now."

--

The air conditioning of the limo was really nice to Beaver. Bu that didn't stop him from sweating. A lot.

"Dick, w-why didn't you tell Wynne about the limo?" There was desperation in his voice.

He took a moment to answer, processing what his brother had just asked. Beaver guessed he'd forgotten their sister's real name.

"Chipper? Slipped my mind, I guess," he laughed a bit, "She'll be fine on the bus anyway, just prepare for her shrill ranting at dinner."

"Did you at least say bye to her?" His throat was dry, it was hard to talk.

"Cool your jets Beav. Who cares if I said bye to her? We'll see her at school when we got back." Dick then turned his attention away from his younger brother and went back to laughing with his friends.

Beaver shut his eyes and breathed.

Was it too late?

--

No. No. No.

Wynne ran out the door of the mini-mart just in time to see the school bus driving away. Damnit. For a quick moment she wondered why someone hadn't mentioned to Miss Dumb-Ass that all her students weren't there? She laughed. Maybe she shouldn't have told Meg to "stop carbo-loading" while standing in the buffet line.

"This is just fabulous." She swore a few times under her breath and considered calling her brothers.

No, they forgot about her. They wouldn't care anyway.

Wait. She did have her rollerblades. She shook her packsack off her shoulder and took out her escape. Just as she sat down on the curb, Veronica Mars appeared ahead of her.

"You too, huh?"

Wynne simply nodded, not wanting to break into conversation. While Veronica stood near her talking on the phone, she heard the roar of a motorcycle. Ironic. Her good friend Weevil Navarro.

He gave Veronica a quick look, which made her quickly end her conversation. He was offering her a ride. Just as she moved towards him, he saw Wynne sitting there. She gave him an innocent smile and continued to do up her rollerblades.

"All-Star, you stranded too?" he asked her, taking off his helmet.

"I have_ really_ great brothers." she said simply, scoffing a bit. She did her best to get up on her wheels but the sudden movement caused her to slip and stay down.

"And apparently, I'm destined to stay here too." She sighed and looked at the pavement.

"Hey." Weevil started, cause her to look up. His hand was outstretched, an offer to help her up. She graciously grasped his hand and he pulled her up.

"Thanks." She said simply, pulling her bag over her shoulders again and brushing off her jeans.

"Seeing as it would be stupid to do this, but I know you're going to anyway, start rollerblading back to Neptune. And after I drop Veronica here back at school, I'll come see how far you got, alright?" His eyebrow was raised, and a pleasing smirk was on his face.

"You better be careful Navarro, or word might get out about this nice side of you."

--

"Woah, what's with the sudden stop?"

"Oh my god.."

In moments, everyone who was in the limo, was out of it. The school bus had gone over the cliff. Those gutwrenching screams were the last they would hear from all those people.

Cassidy was sure he stopped breathing now. His lip was quivering, tears close. Had his sister just gone over the cliff, in a bus, sentenced to death?

Dick was standing next to him, close enough for their arms to be grazing each other. He knew he should. He quickly extended his arm and wrapped it protectively over his brother's shoulder.

"I can't believe it.. I can't fucking believe it.. Chipper.." Dick mumbled. He wasn't feeling anything. He couldn't hear anything, even the motorcycle pulling up. He did watch as Veronica and Duncan consoled each other. Veronica lived. But his Chipper was gone.

It all seemed to stop.

--

Wynne traveled smoothly down the side of the not so lively road. It wasn't one of her best ideas. Two steps to the left and she could be side-swiped by a vehicle.

She wished she had her iPod with her, but no. It was at home charging. Instead, she listened to the voices in her head. Just as she glanced down to check the time, she heard the framilar sounds of a motorcycle. She slowed down as he pulled up to her. He took off his helmet and quickly handed it to her.

"That was fast. What? Did you ditch her-"

He cut her off.

"C'mon, hurry up and get on. Something happened.." She did as he said and hopped on, securing her arms around his waist. He'd barely given her time to shove her rollerblades into her packsack and now she was riding on a motorcycle without her shoes on. Her dad would be pleased.

About four minutes later, they were pulling up to the black limo on the side of the road. Had it been in an accident? Wynne suddenly got worried. She then noticed everyone who was in the limo was standing on the edge of the road, near the cliff. They were all looking in the same way, down. At that point, she noticed her brothers. They were hugging and if she could tell, tears stained their cheeks. What was going on?

She hopped off the motorcycle just as Weevil stopped, and looked over at him.

He simply said, "The bus."

The bus? The bus. She thought for a moment, then it clicked. The bus had gone over the edge. Her brothers were crying because.. "she was in the bus". She gasped, and brought her hand over her mouth. She couldn't believe it. She was supposed to be in that bus. If she hadn't missed it at the gas station, she would be dead right now. And that's what her brothers both thought.

She raced over to them quickly.

"Cass! Dick!" Their heads both perked up a bit to the call of their names. She noticed Cassidy was looking so pale, so sick. And now Dick just had a shocked look on his face. She ran to them and before she could say anything it seemed they were all hugging. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been involved in the same hug as Dick.

It was moving. And life-changing.

Almost.

--

_Shocked? Yeah, I know. Me too. But it just flowed out of me. PLEASE review and let me know what you think. I'm averaging like.. 2.5 reviews per chapter, and this story is on 7 people's alerts! Please let me know what you thought, and if you have any ideas. I'd take them into consideration for sure. And I don't know if Logan is gonna go for Chipper, because I am all for Veronica/Logan. But I dunnnnnnno. Review!_


	5. Chapter 5

"Wynne, I can't believe it. I thought, well, we thought you went over the cliff. In the bus. You know, like you were dead." Beaver noted how cold his sister felt. The occasional brush against her skin and he almost felt cold. Maybe she was in a bit of a shock. He hoped she was alright. He knew she wasn't the one to always blatantly announce her feelings. Especially recently. 

Wynne didn't know what to say. Or know what to feel. She felt terrible, knowing all those people who were riding the bus were now dead. Their bodies floating lifelessly in the water. But, inside she felt so .. glad. Glad she hadn't been on the bus in the first place. She shouldn't have had to even worry about it. She should have been in the limo with her brothers. There it was again, that anger.

"Yeah, Beav. But don't worry. And stop shaking alright? I'm fine." Did she just call him Beav? She never called him Beav, or Beaver. They were both given terrible childhood nicknames. They both hated those nicknames. They both made the decision to stick to their real names. Beaver had called their dad moments before, to let him know what happened.

_It was strange. When their dad found out about the bus, he wasn't the least bit worried. He knew his own children were in the limo he paid for. They were safe, all three of them._

_Once Beaver spewed out that Wynne hadn't been in the limo with them, it was as if the phone had been disconnected. All he could hear from his dad was the sound of heavy breathing._

_"What?" He said this in almost a whisper._

_"No, dad, she's fine. She missed the bus." He heard headstrong Dick Casablancas Sr. sigh. Beaver knew what he was feeling. Like someone you loved so much had just been removed from your life, then was suddenly back. It was a heavy feeling._

_"You guys take the limo home now, don't bother about getting back to school. I'll have my secretary call to clear things up."_

Dick was standing their silently, just watching his sister. He wasn't sure what to say to her. I'm glad you didn't die didn't process right in his brain. She really should have been in the limo with her. None of them should have been worried. They had money to cure that. And that money had paid for a limo. And that limo was to be for the Casablancas' children. And only two of them even got in the vehicle.

"Chipper, where the fuck are your shoes?"

Wynne moved her eyes from Beaver, over to her other brother. He was walking behind them back to the limo. She noticed how out of place his blonde hair was, and how dry his eyes looked. And out of all things to mention, it was her lack of footwear. She paused a moment, contemplating how to reply to him. Had he really just asked her where he shoes were?

"Are you kidding me? I could have been in that bus, I would have been in that bus, you know. Even when I should have been in a nice limousine with you two, I was on that bus. And all you can say to me, when I could have died, is where the fuck are my shoes? Like that matters." She threw him a cold stare and got into the limo before them both.

What a harsh reality.

--

It must have been some sort of record.

Wynne had received more hugs from her family this week than she ever remembered. Not that affection wasn't shown in other ways, like buying presents and giving money. It was just weird to experience all these hugs and words straight from the hearts of her family. Well, aside from her step-mother, who was out enjoying an evening with friends.

Someone had prepared a meal for them. All three Casablancas men and Wynne were sitting around their dining table, enjoying the food. Wynne kept quiet. Beaver was jumpy. Dick was himself, self-reliant and laughing. Same with their dad, joking and laughing about things. He paused and looked at his daughter, who was picking at her food. He didn't understand her anymore it seemed. One thing about marrying Kendall meant there would be another female in the house for Wynne to bond with. From what he could tell, his wife got along well with her step children.

In the middle of Dick's explanation of the stadium tour, Dick Sr. interrupted his son.

"What I still don't understand boys, is why your sister wasn't in the limo with you today. Before we got off the phone, I told you to tell you brother and sister, Dick. Why was Chipper on the bus?" He put down his fork, and glanced around the table. Wynne looked down at her plate. She wanted to know the answer as well.

Beaver assumed this question was directed at his brother. He wasn't going to take the blame for this. At least not for his sister being on the bus. He glanced over at his brother, whom seemed to be at a loss of words.

Dick wasn't sure how to answer. He really just forgot to tell his sister. He told Duncan and Veronica, he told his brother, he told those pretty girls.. but he didn't tell his sister. It pretty much was all riding on him at this point.

"Uhm, I swear I told her. We were all in that room and-"

"_If _you told me, why was I on the bus? And not in the limo with you two?"

"Is this really that big of a deal? You weren't on the bus in the end." He looked over at his dad, "She's fine."

Beaver jumped in, "That's obviously not the point Dick."

"Shut it, Beav. I didn't see you telling Chipper about the bus either."

"Yeah, but Dad didn't ask me to do tell her. I wasn't aware that you couldn't string together, what, ten words?"

Wynne hated it when her brother's fought. Especially in this situation, when it was about her. But for once, she didn't intervine. She expected her dad to do that instead. She hoped he had the thought and care to stop their fighting.

Dick Casablancas Sr sighed as he glanced at his children.

"That's enough." He said simply to his son's.

"I don't know why it matters anyway." Dick said, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. He just didn't get it.

"Dick, are you really that stupid? Ever think about what would have happened if I had been on that bus? I wouldn't be here right now." She said to him coldly, looking him deeply in the eyes.

Of course Dick understood that. And she knew that. But she also knew he would never admit to crying over her at the edge of the cliff. Of course he wasn't that stupid. Of course he realized he could have been short one family member. He just wasn't man enough to show his true feelings.

"Whatever Chipper. I'm done here." And with that, he got up from the table and left the room. Wynne sighed.

She was done too.

--

_"No, dad, really. I said I didn't want to come golfing. And I don't want to come and sit at the country club making conversation with random people who know you."_

_"You sure kiddo?"_

_"Yes! Now just go. Have fun. I'll be fine. I'll find something to do." He kissed his daughter's forehead and walked out of her room._

Fine. What a basic word. How was someone fine anyway? Wynne knew she wasn't fine. How did she know that? Because apparently almost not dying in a bus crash meant she didn't get to sleep at night. Her mind got to take over. It was never fun having a dream where you dive over the cliff in a bus.

Here she was, lying in bed on a Saturday. It was her first weekend of the school year and it seemed she couldn't even enjoy it. She slipped out of her comfortable bed and quickly changed into a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. She was so tired, but knew she couldn't sleep anymore. She began to walk out of her room, contemplating things she could do.

"I could always call Gil, I haven't really talked to her since she decided to go to Pan instead of Neptune High..." Wynne said to herself, slowly trailing off. All thoughts of her old friend were cut off by the sounds of the doorbell. Who the hell was here at like 11 in the morning? Instead of rushing to answer it, she let it be. They would come back.

It was at that moment she heard her step-mother answer the door. She was home? Wynne guessed Kendall had no idea she was still in the house.

"Can Dick and Beaver come out and play?"

Logan? What was he doing here? Wynne dashed back to her room and decided not to think about it. Either he really believed Dick and Cassidy were at home, or he was here for other reasons. Reasons that she didn't want to process.

After shutting her door tightly, she fell onto her bed and flipped on the tv. She was glad to have the tv sometimes, it was such an escape from her reality. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep. When she woke from her nightmare, which this time consisted of her being the only one of the bus, it was almost four o'clock. Oh how time flies when tragedies are occuring deep within your head.

She got up from her bed, and walked out of her room. Just as she passed the bathroom, she thought she heard a car door outside. That's when it happened. Logan Echolls ran to the upstairs level of the house, wearing nothing at all. When she saw him running towards Dick's room, she dashed back into her own room and watched him struggle to put his clothes on. Not only did it make her laugh, but she wasn't too upset about seeing him without them on.

Five minutes later, Beaver was at her door.

"Hey, we're home." He said simply, gazing into her room. She gave him a thumbs up and returned to her magazine. He just nodded his head a bit then left, heading down the hall to where Dick and Logan should be. She soon left her room and made her way to her brother's room, She stopped at the door and leaned on the door frame.

"Oh look, Logan. When did you get here?" She gave him a little smile and made direct eye contact with him. He looked up from his game and looked at her. What did she know?

"Chipper, you can either sit, watch and shut up or go." Dick said, his eyes not leaving the tv screen. She rolled her eyes. Dick had become such a jerk towards her.

"Dude, what's your sister's real name anyway?"

"Does that really matter?" Dick asked.

"Does that mean you don't know?" Beaver challenged his brother.

Dick stopped playing for a moment, "Of course I know Beaver, god." He paused, "Wynne.. uhm, Elizabeth Amelia Casablancas." He smiled to himself. How the hell did he even remember that?

Logan smiled to himself as well. Now he had leverage.

--

_okay, this chapter sucked. I won't even joke. Especially the last part, I just.. spewed it out. I didn't even want to, I swear, but I have the next chapter planned out and I want to get to it. I want to thank you all sooo much for the reviews, I'm so happy people are enjoying this story. I still don't know about pairings or anything. Logan is just going to be that person who teases Wynne, ya know? Who knows what else yet. Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh Chipper." 

Wynne sighed. Didn't Logan Echolls have anything better to do? Did he really feel the constant need to tease and bother her?

"I said you can't call me that." She didn't look away from her locker as she shut it.

"If I can recall, you said I can't call you that unless I know what it means, or if I found out your real name. And that is exactly what I did." He said simply. She soon regretted giving him that option.

"Did Cass tell you?" She asked, as she began walking down the hallway.

"Uh, Beaver? No. Dick told me." He remembers her full name, but he can't string together thoughts to tell her about the limo.

"Wynne Elizabeth Amelia Casablancas. WEAC. Like weak. As in not strong."

"Really? Want me to kick you? Then we'll see how strong I am." Damnit. She needed leverage of some sort.

Wait.

Of course she had leverage. She laughed to herself for a moment.

"You're a bit feisty today." Logan smiled and held the door open for her. Wynne quickly breathed in and walked into the classroom. Here she was, now officially a Future Business Leader of America.

"You know what? Call me Chipper. But see how long it lasts. Really." She paused, "Because I know something that could cause a lot of trouble." He didn't respond. He just sat on top of the desk she was planning to sit at. And stared at her. "Please don't call me it okay. Just.. don't. You can call me anything else. Just not that." She looked at him with illusioned eyes. Logan just scrunched up his face to think.

"I don't know what you are talking about." He shot her a confused look, "But pretty much the entire Casablancas clan is in this room now, so I think we should get to Future Business Leading. We can talk later." He hopped off her desk and slumped into one on the other side of Dick. She was sitting between her brothers, and was not looking forward to listen to her father talk for the next half hour. She took a sip of her iced coffee and sighed.

Her dad had already explained to them various times about FBLA, and what they'd be doing. Wynne knew she would be investing her faux money in eBay. Most of it anyway. From what she knew, last year her brother had invested his money in dog racing. Not that something of that sort surprised her. Sometimes she wondered about her brothers. Most of the time it was about Dick, and how he managed to be in 12th grade. She never saw him do homework, he never mentioned school when he wasn't in it. But lately, she had been worrying about Cassidy. It's like he had closed up because of something. She and him used to talk about everything, and now they didn't say anything deep or thoughtful to each other.

Or maybe it was just her. Highschool was catching up to her, and a lot of her time was going to be devoted to some homework and yearbook.

And Future Business Leading of course.

--

"So, how come you aren't going to make a remark about my loud locker slamming or my shoes today?" Wynne said out loud, finally slamming her locker door shut and looking over towards Weevil. She had caught him at the right time, his pal's had just dispersed. She was waiting for his snide comment, but nothing was said.

"Nothing? Wow. Shocking." She said instead.

"Actually, I have a question for you." he said, turning and leaning in front of her, "What's your zip code?"

She thought for a second, wondering about the unusual question, "Uhm, 90909."

"Your lastname?"

"What? Do you wanna be penpals?" She glanced at him. but he just stood there waiting for her answer, "Casablancas."

"So that brainless idiot Dick is your brother? Meaning, you really are a coveted 09er." He shook his head and started to walk away.

"Hey! You can't just judge me because of my zip code." But he was already down the hallway, and turning the corner. Wow. Some people really are stupid. Out of all the students of the school, you'd think the PCHers would be a bit more lenient. Whatever.

She sighed and walked out of the school, heading towards the parking lot. Before she could even start looking for her brothers, she heard her phone ringing. She looked down to see her best friend Gillian on the caller I.D.

"Coming to Neptune yet?" She said to her friend without warning. Wynne heard her friend laugh.

"Hello to you, too. And that's a negative. Maybe you should just come to Pan High instead." Wynne was the one laughing this time. She leaned against her brother's car outside, surprised they weren't there already.

"If only I could. You heard about that bus crash right?"

"Yeah! Dude, that totally sucks. Must be all.. sad and stuff at the school, right?" Oh Gil, she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box.

Wynne laughed again, "Yeah, pretty much. Stressful too. I actually missed the bus."

"Woah. That's weird Chipper."

"I'm trying to go by my real name these days Gil, you know.. Wynne."

"Ah, okay. Well then Wynne, feel like coming to a party with me tonight? Kick that stress or whatever?"

She thought for a second, then smiled, "Yeah, sounds good actually."

"Sweet! My sister is driving so I'll pick you up around 8. Bye!"

Now she had something to take her mind of things.

--

"So, Chipper, how's Dick?"

Wynne sighed. She didn't want to think about her brother, nor did she want to listen to someone else call her by that nickame. But this was Adrienne, her best friend's older sister, the one driving them to the party.

"He's.. Dick. Big headed, and usually letting his downstairs brain do his thinking for me." That made all three of them laugh. And it was true. Even though he was an 09er, he had quite the reputation with girls. Or as he would say,_ "The laaadies."_

As they arrived at the house of the party, both girls got out of the car. Adrienne called back to her sister something about a ride home, but Wynne doubted she even listen to her. Just as she was out of the car, her friend had pulled her closer to the house.

"Okay, Chipper- I mean, Wynne, I have a confession.-"

Wynne crossed her arms quickly, glancing up at the party, "Of course you do."

"Okay, so there is this guy that I know is going to be here, but he is like.. a senior or something, and I knew this would be the best place to, you know, get to know him, but I knew my sister wouldn't let me go alone."

"What are you trying to say Gil?"

"My plan wasn't just to hang out with you here, it was just to find and be with him. So, uhm, I'll come find you later, okay?" She blew her friend a quick kiss, and darted off to the party. Wynne stood there, mouth open. Shocked. Here she was, stuck at a party where she didn't know anybody. It was a party, celebrating.. something about a school she didn't go to. Not only that, it was Neptune High's rival school. Even mentioning Neptune here could cause uproar. She didn't even know where she was. She'd stopped looking at street names once it got dark. And now, she regretted doing so.

"Wow, this is great." She swore a few times under her breath, and decided it would be in her best interest to blend into the party until her friend was done.. doing whatever she was doing. There must be something in there for her to drink anyway.

She walked into the house, stepping over someone laying on the ground. Not really a good first impression for a party. The music playing was good at least, she recognized the song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. At least someone who went to Pan High had good taste.

She laughed to herself. She sounded exactly like her brother. Making fun and judging people without even knowing any of them. She sighed and continued her way through the house. She found the kitchen, and noticed a variety of drinks piled up on various surfaces. To her right, a group of guys were chanting something along the lines of "Drink! Drink!" and quickly finished. To her left, various girls doing body shots. She glanced around the kitchen, looking for something safe to drink.

"I'd recommend that," she heard someone say from behind her. She turned her head to see a random guy pointing to some random drink.

"Yeah, like I trust the advice of some random guy I don't know. I'd prefer something without alcohol in it." She shot back at him. He laughed, and leaned against the counter beside her.

"You do realize you are at a party? A highschool party? Alcohol is sort of why everyone is here. Release your inhibitions."

She raised her eyebrows at him, "I don't know if you expect me to keep talking here. If you do, I need something that will keep my inhibitions unreleased." He reluctantly pointed to a case of Pepsi sitting on the counter. She sighed, relieved.

"I'm Richie, by the way." He said, as she popped open her can.

"That means you want to know my name, doesn't it?"

He smiled, "That was my plan."

She laughed, "It's Wynne."

"That's a really nice name." She hoped that wasn't the begining of a pick-up line. "Well, Wynne, you don't look that happy to be here." He took a quick sip out of his blue cup.

"That's because I'm not. I was sort of ditched by a friend. Not that it matters."

"Ahh, don't worry about it. It's only the first party of the year, there will be plenty more."

"To tell you the truth Richie, I don't plan on coming to any more parties." She didn't even know why she was still talking to him. Oh well. Hopefully it was killing time.

"Why not? They get better, trust me. And what better thing to do than celebrate a win over Neptune. Support your school!" He threw her a bit of a smile.

She laughed, and sipped her pop, "Yeah, I will be supporting my school. Across town. In a nicer house." He quickly put his drink down, and crossed his arms.

"Wait, you go to Neptune?" She didn't want to answer that. She could tell he alread knew the answer to that anyway. It would probably be better to not say anything now. "What are you doing at our party?" She could tell he was a bit angry about the situation. And when people have alcohol in their system, sometimes the anger takes over.

"Just leaving actually." And with that, she dropped her drink on the floor and dashed from the room. Conviently, the pop spilled all over his shoes. Wynne made her way back to the front of the house, and prayed he didn't plan on following her. What was she going to do? She had no idea where Gil was, and truthfully, she didn't care. For all she knew, her friend was loosing her virginity right now.

She ran out of the house, and stood on the line, contemplating what to do. Then she remembered she had a phone. And she had someone she could call. She sighed, and grabbed her sidekick from her pocket. She quickly dialed in the number, and help the phone to her ear. After three rings, someone finally picked up.

"Chipper?"

--

_To tell you the truth (and I know I say this after every chapter), but I did not enjoy writing this chapter. I really wanted to have more.. VM characters in it. But I figured, with that ending, I could leave it up to you, my faithful readers, to decide who Wynne is calling.** So review, and let me know if you want her to be calling Dick, Cassidy or Logan. I would leave Weevil as a choice, but.. it's just not working with what I am plannning. Okay? So let me know! **And thanks for reading. And to clarify, Richie was the basketball player in the episode "Betty and Veronica" in season one, when Veronica was at Pan High with all the mascot drama. I just needed someone already introduced in there. And I apologize for any spelling or grammar errors, I am without a spell check on this computer right now._


	7. Chapter 7

_She ran out of the house, and stood on the line, contemplating what to do. Then she remembered she had a phone. And she had someone she could call. She sighed, and grabbed her sidekick from her pocket. She quickly dialed in the number, and help the phone to her ear. After three rings, someone finally picked up._

_"Chipper?"_

She bit her lip, contemplating what to say.

"Hey.."

"Is there a reason for this phone call that came .. out of no where? I'm sort of in the middle of something." She could hear something in the background.

"Dick, I hate to interrupt your game of Halo, but.." She paused and glanced back at the house. She moved out of the lights coming from the window, incase someone saw her. It scared her, although she wasn't going to admit that to her brother. She was all alone at a party being thrown by their rival school. That wouldn't go over very well.

"Chip, is there anyway you could get to the point off this friendly call? I don't want to hear another one of your exciting sighs."

She bit her lip again, "Can you come pick me up? Please?"

"Uh," he paused, "Yeah. Sure. Where are you?"

She laughed dryly, "That's the thing. I'm not too sure. It's some.. Pan High party. The last street name I remember is.. Woodbury?"

"Why are you at a Pan High party?" He asked, not even listening to what else she said. His sister went to Neptune. Therefore, she should go to Neptune parties. He didn't get it.

"It's a long story, okay? Can you just come get me?" She was tired of this. She didn't want to be standing outside a random house, not in her neighborhood, and with no one she knew. She just wanted to go home.

Dick thought his sister sounded a bit worried, maybe even scared.

She heard him dropping his controller, and turning off the TV, "Yeah. Just, like, stay where you are, and I'll try to find you." And he hung up the phone.

"Thanks Dick! Love you too! Bye!" she said sarcastically, flipping her phone off. She crossed her arms, and looked around the yard. The party was in full swing, people inside singing and dancing, plus the occasional people sprawled across the porch making out. Nothing she hadn't seen before. But it wasn't what she wanted to see anyway.

She just sighed, and watched the road. She wasn't sure how long it would take her brother to get her, she just hoped it would be soon.

Really soon.

--

"Hey! I was still playing that." Logan complained, watching Dick turn off the tv. He was on the phone with someone. Logan assumed it was his sister, considering he said 'Chipper' when he picked it up.

"Shut up, dude. I was gonna beat you anyway." He quickly got up from his seat, and looked at his watch.

"So, who called?" Logan asked, doing the same and following him out of the room. He really just wanted to play Halo at this point. Or get drunk.

"We have a mission. Good ol' Chipper is stranded at some Pan High party. We have to like, find her and get her and stuff." Dick trailed off. He reached into his pockets to look for his keys. Logan just rolled his eyes.

"And why is your sister stranded at a Pan party by herself?"

"I have no idea." Dick shrugged, and headed out the door of the house. Logan paused for a moment. This was quite unlike Dick. He dropped a game of Halo to go and find his sister. In any other situation, he would have said no, or told her off, or complained to Beaver about the situation. But not this time. Maybe this time Dick actually did get high before he started the video games, it would explain a lot.

Well, maybe not a lot. But some things.

--

Wynne planted herself on the lawn near a tall oak tree, legs and arms crossed, watching the road. She thought about walking, but then decided it probably wasn't the smartest idea. Not only did she not know where she was, she didn't have a clue what direction to go in. She may have benefited from taking Girl Scouts as a kid. But no, she played baseball. That was the first place she went wrong.

It wasn't her fault. She told herself that all the time. She knew she shouldn't blame herself. But sometimes it was hard not to. She had just sat there when their coach 'made Beaver feel better'. And Beaver did the same in her position. She knew now their coach shouldn't have done that. It was a crime. But he was practically the Mayor. And probably didn't even remember her. She thought about Peter and Marcos. Had the same thing happened to them? Not that it mattered. They were both dead now, because of that stupid bus crash.

That haunting bus crash. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone. A text message.

_Chipper - sum guys r talking about sum "Neptune chick" the party. Made them angry. Hope they don't mean you_.

Wynne laughed to herself. Wow. She really has a great "best" friend. She simply replied back, _where r u?_ but didn't get a response. If this did anything, it only worried her more. She quickly jumped up as she heard a group of guys race out the front door of the house. She darted her head towards them, to see what they were doing. That guy who was talking to her in the kitchen was with them, and they were looking around the yard. She hurriedly moved from the curb to under a close tree, hoping they wouldn't see her. There wasn't a lot of light hitting the tree, so she assumed she'd be okay.

She looked down the road, and thought she saw her brother's truck heading in the direction of the party. She sighed happily and walked out from under the tree. Just as she did this, she heard someone say, "That's her!" And she heard footsteps heading her way. Was it really that big of a deal? A random freshmen from their rival school was at their party, did it bother them that much? Of course it did, they were living in Neptune. She watched as the truck drove passed the house completely, and she suddenly regretted her move. She looked down at the phone in her hand, and nothing, no calls from her brother.

She suddenly grew worried as they came closer to her. She crossed her arms defensively and looked around. What were they doing? Circling her?

"She's the one." Wynne's eyes darted, and she looked at the Richie guy from the kitchen. He had seemed nice, too.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble," she said quickly in her defensive.

"Really? Not here as a spy or something?" she looked around again, but didn't hear where the voice came from. She assumed it was from one of the bulky wrestling guys.

"A spy? Are you kidding? Like anyone from my school would do that. We all have plenty of better things to do with our time." She laughed. She laughed a lot actually. A spy?

"Well, people have been known to just walk into our school to do sleuthing." Richie spoke again. Wynne rolled her eyes.

"Can you just let me out of this.. herd? I did nothing wrong." she told them, sighing. It was an annoyed sigh. She figured at least half of them were drunk, and by the looks of the party, bored.

"Nah. I say we have a little fun." It was that bulky guy blubbering once again. Someone suddenly shoved her, causing her to loose her balance and fall to the ground. Wynne didn't want to know what 'fun' meant to these sort of guys. She hoped for the most part they kept their hands to themselves. She hated being touched. If someone outside of her close family hugged her, she might convulse. It was just something that happened because of her past. Things she hated talking about.

Before any hands could even get near her, she heard a familar set of tires screeching on the road. And a very familar voice.

"Don't touch her."

She was never so relieved to hear Dick's surfer-esque voice.

There was two sets of footsteps though. She watched as all of the guys surrounding her turned their heads towards the pair heading in their direction.

"What are you gonna do blondie?"

Wynne laughed loudly. They shouldn't have said that. As Dick grew angrier, and trash talked the five guys in front of him, someone else came over to Wynne. And to her surprise, it was Logan. He extended his hand to her, and she grasped it. He helped her up quickly, and watched as she brushed off her jeans.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes darting from her to Dick.

"Yeah, I'm alright." she replied to him, as they started to walk back towards her brother, "but wait, are you showing a hint of emotion Logan? Concern? Hell must have dropped a few temperatures." He didn't look back to her, he just stood beside his friend instead.

After Dick stopped arguing with the Pan High guys, he turned back to his sister, "Let's go Chipper." She was going to roll her eyes, then she felt Dick's arm wrap around her shoulder. He was acting protective. She was stunned.

And for once, it felt right.

--

"Hey, it's Wynne right?"

Wynne sighed. Her Monday wasn't going well. Her entire weekend hadn't gone well. She looked over to see who was talking to her. She did recognize the voice.

Veronica Mars.

"Look, I hope you aren't looking for some sort of comment or opinion about my dad, because you won't be getting it." Wynne slammed her locker shut quickly, and leaned against them.

_"So, out of all people to bring, how come it wasn't Cassidy?" Wynne asked her brother, once Logan had left their house and she had assured them both the guys at the party didn't do anything to her._

_"He wasn't home. He was out at that coffee place where Ronnie works, I think. Have no idea why." Dick's eyes returned to the TV, and whatever sports game was on._

_About an hour later, the phone started ringing over and over. It wouldn't stop. Eventually Wynne and Dick stopped trying to answer it, and let the machine get it. Something about their dad.. his company.. the government.. fleeing the country?_

_"Dick, turn on the news." Wynne said quickly, just grabbing the remote and changing the channel._

_-- Richard Casablancas, real estate fraud. "Cheated the government and the people." Hasn't been found. Is said to have left the country. --_

_What?_

"Well, it seems someone didn't get their cafe mocha this morning." Veronica replied to her. Her commented was laced with high amounts of snark and sarcasm.

"Sorry, Veronica. I'm just sick of talking to people about it. Uhm, is there something else I can help you with?"

"Yeah, actually, I was wondering if I could talk to you. About the bus crash. You know, me and you were the only ones who weren't on the bus. I'm looking for a connection or something."

Wynne was a bit skeptical. But maybe it would be good to talk to someone else in the same situation. But then she nodded. Why not?

"Uhm, yeah. Sure. I have a manicure apointment afterschool, but maybe-"

"Actually, I'm free then. I could give you a ride, and we can talk."

Sure. Why not? What harm could it do?

--

_AH. It took me way too long to get this out. My ideas are slowing down, and it's really bothering me. I ususally have clear, precise ideas of what is going to happen, and for once I'm not too sure. Let me know what you think! Reviews are delightful. And yes, I am bringing in storylines from season two. Like PapaCasablancas not being there. Cause of that whole scandal. And now at least Cassidy and Wynne know about the.. Kendall/Logan.. ickiness._


	8. Chapter 8

_A lot of the dialogue in this episode is taken from, and sort of altered, the season two episode Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner. You know, the Lawyer scene and their mom scene. So if you recognize the text, that's where it's from. I take no credit._

--

Wynne closed her locker and swiftly turned around to lean on it. It had probably been the longest day of school ever. People knew who she was now, and not because of her brothers. Evidently, it was because of her father. Not only were the faces of the Casablancas' children all over the news with their father, it was apparently the only thing people could talk about at school. Dick soaked it in, making cracks about handling his money. Beaver sort of shrugged it all off, as if he had other things on his plate. And Wynne took everything anyone said to heart. All the cracks, all the small giggles. It shouldn't bother her, it really shouldn't. And.. it.. didn't.

At least the day was over. Right?

Wrong.

Wynne made her way down the hallway, looking for Veronica Mars. She wanted to talk about the bus crash. Truthfully, it was the last thing Wynne wanted to talk about. She wasn't really in the mood for reliving the exact things that haunted her at night. She walked past a few people in her grade, smiling and waving a bit. She had made quite a few friends over the span of the first few weeks of school. Which, was always a good thing of course.

"Hey, Wynne!" she heard someone wall to her. She turned around to see Veronica heading her way. She smiled a bit, and paused to let her catch up. Just as she was going to start talking to Veronica as they walked out of the school, her phone rang. She glanced down to see Beaver on the caller i.d.

"Hey Cass." she spoke, flipping her phone open.

"Chipper-"

"Wynne." She said loudly, over him.

"Sorry, Wynne. Whatever. Where are you? We're waiting outside."

"Uh, I have a manicure appointment after school. I'm going to that." She said, heading into the parking lot. She could see her brothers.

"You'll have to cancel. We have to get home and talk to Dad's lawyer about something. I dunno. Hurry up." And he hung up. She sighed loudly. They stopped at Veronica's car, and she looked over at her brothers across the lot, then to Veronica herself.

"Sorry but, apparently I have to get home. Even my nail beds will have to wait." she laughed dryly.

"Rain check?" Veronica asked her, heading to the driver's seat.

"Tomorrow at lunch." Wynne said, shrugging her shoulders. Veronica gave her a small nod, and Wynne departed from her car. She headed over to Dick's truck with her arm's crossed.

"What took you so long?" Dick asked, leaning against the truck.

"Uh, the bell rang like 4 minutes ago."

"Which means you should have been here, like, 2 minutes ago." He said back to her, mocking her voice.

Why was it that brothers were genetically modified to come save you from big, rowdy high school parties and be jerks less than a day later? Wynne sighed. She could just blame the media.

--

"The house and cars were paid in full.." Wynne stopped listening to Lawyer Man. She had met him before, but she had forgotten his real name. She'd made it a habit to call him Lawyer Man instead. Just one of her many quirks. She was sitting beside Cassidy on the couch, and their loving stepmom sat beside him. Obviously all she cared about was her steady flow of money, and well, if she still had it. Dick was sitting across from them, lounging in a chair. He seemed rather uninterested in the situation. Cass didn't seem interested either, he just kept fidgeting and making the table shake.

"Stop it. I keep thinking it's an earthquake." she heard Kendall snap at Cassidy. Dick smirked. Wynne herself let out a low giggle.

Lawyer man rambled on about how their dad's assets were locked. Of course, this didn't leave LakerMom pleased. She ranted on and on about Dick Sr. being on some beach drinking with island natives. This entire situation amused Wynne to know end. It was the highlight of her day whenever Kendall went off about anything not going right in her life.

"As for the kids, Dick Jr, Cassidy and Wynne each have a trust fund." Lawyer Man spoke.

Like that would get them anywhere.

"Sweet." Dick said loudly. Wynne gave him one of the usual 'You're An Idiot' glares.

"However," Lawyer Man continued, "You are not eligible to withdraw from them until your 21st birthday."

Cassidy sighed and dropped his head into his hands. Wynne leaned back into the couch. That was only forever away.

"Dude, my 21st birthday is gonna rock SO hard." Dick exclaimed, nodding and smiling. He glanced towards the ceiling and threw his arms up, "I love you Daddy."

"It's not like he's dead, you idiot. And you still have four years to go." Wynne said to him, crossing her arms. She pulled her legs up to her chest and rested in the position, rolling her eyes at her brother.

"So? It's closer than your, like, 10 years." he shot back at her.

"Try six."

Idiot.

"And?" Kendall sounded irritated, "What about me?"

Lawyer Man took a moment, "You don't have any separate accounts from Dick. He didn't put any property in your name."

"I'm their mother, can't I have some of their money?" Wynne snorted a laugh at her 'mother' line. She was the least motherly person she knew. Dick looked at bit worried at this point. Cassidy kept quiet.

"The only remaining trustee for their funds is their biological mother."

Hah.

Dick smiled and nodded his head again. Cassidy had that same worried look on his face.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Not only was Kendall irritated, she was sweating. She didn't like sweating if she wasn't at the gym. That definitely wouldn't leave her happy.

"I don't know." Lawyer Man said simply, "What did you do before?"

It was at this point, Wynne had never been so happy to have her savings account. For the last five years, she hadn't spent a penny of her allowance money. She tended to just swindle extra pocket money from her dad instead. She had over thousands there for her, so she'd be set for the time being. Dick probably had nothing except his credit card. And Cassidy had who's knows what. He had been keeping to himself lately.

Thank you, Lawyer Man.

--

Lunch. It tended to be more like feeding time for some people. They probably didn't realize how unattractive it was to, you know, shove an entire sandwhich in their mouth at one time. It was times like these that Wynne was happy to be an '09er'. They chewed their food. Not to mention someone always had a pizza and because she was Dick's sister, she always had a seat at their tables.

She, of course, loved that fact. Cassidy didn't often sit with them. Wynne never realized how it might be for Cass being Dick's _brother_. It was competition if he was there. The sister thing was fine for Dick. She walked outside and headed into the crowds of people, working her way through the tables. There was a few jocks, some artsy kids, a handful of musicians, the usual spread of life. She made her way to one of the 09er tables along the side, and took a seat on the yellow bench, The people around her, which consisted of that Kane boy, Logan, Dick, a few girls (including that gossip queen Carrie Bishop) and that guy Luke, were talking about video games. Mainly. She seemed to be the only freshman there, but she didn't care. She just needed to eat her lunch somewhere.

"Chipper!" she heard Dick exclaim, "What are you eating?"

"Yes, _Chipper, _what _are_ you eating?" Logan repeated, smiling smugly.

"I was going to enjoy this piece of cake, but I'm not really hungry anyway," she said to her brother, "You want?" Dick quickly reached out and grabbed the cake from her, a smile appearing on his face. He turned his attention away from her just as quickly too.

"And you, can't call me that." Wynne said to Logan, "As I've said numerous times." He gave her a bit of a look, and slipped from sitting on top of the table to the empty seat beside her.

"What should I call you then?" he asked. His voice was laced with his usual high amounts of snark.

"Anything else." she said simply, opening her water bottle. She then glanced down at her watch. She knew Veronica wanted to talk still, but she hadn't seen her anywhere at this point.

"Hmmm." Logan gave himself a moment to think. Or pretend to think.

"How about Golden? Can I call you that?"

Wynne gave him a confused look.

"Golden?"

"Yeah, you know, whenever you recieve a gold medal, it's because you were the one to Wynne something." She rolled her eyes. That was even worse than her current nickname. Not that'd she'd admit that to him.

"Or after that movie, with the dog, you know, Wynne-Dixie! Yeah, I like that one." She opened her mouth to reply to him, but he just pinched her cheeks and turned away instead. Oh Logan Echolls.

Wynne glanced down at her phone as she heard it ringing, but saw she had recieved a text message instead. From Veronica.

_Sorry, can't meet today. Tomorrow? V Mars_

That was probably the downside to Veronica Mars having your cell phone number. That super sleuth could hunt you down at any time possible.

Neat.

--

Wynne didn't understand why someone couldn't answer the doorbell. It wasn't a hard task. She knew for a fact Cass was downstairs somewhere, and Dick was probably playing video games in the rec room. Both of whom were closer to the front door than she was. She sighed, and got up from laying down with her lap top. Technology only made people lazier. It was good to walk all the way to the door anyway. She opened her door to the hallway, and heard her step mom making her way down the stairs. Wearing close to nothing, might she add.

"I'm coming, I'm coming.." she said restlessly, as if the person on the other side of the door could hear her. Wynne stayed near her own bedroom door, wondering who was visiting.

"Cassidy! Dick Jr.! Wynne! Mommy's here! Where are my boys? Where's my baby?" Wynne's eyes widened. Her mom was here? Finally, a small sign of hope. She loved her Mom to death, and after the whole custody battle between her oh so loving parents, she hadn't seen her a lot. Most of the time, this was her own choice. But still. It was incredibly good to have her mom visiting.

Within minutes of quick hugs, and shuffling on the couches near the kitchen, their mom had thrown together sandwiches with a while on her face.

"When's the last time you had a lunch like this?" their mom asked, sitting down beside Cassidy.

"When I was a Brady." Dick replied, taking a bite into his sandwich. Wynne kicked him under their small coffee table. She was so glad to have her mom here.

"This is great, Mom, really." Cassidy said, giving Dick a lot.

"Yeah, the last time I had a tuna sandwich like this was.. a long time ago." Wynne said, giving her mom a smile. She hadn't been eating a lot lately anyways. No one seemed to cook anymore, and when they did it, it was usually ordered in pizza or anything from a local restaurant. Something you tend to get sick of really easily.

"We're glad you're here."

Was Cass seriously still talking?

"And so quickly, right? I hope you see that. You need me, I'm here. All you have to do is call." she paused, "The only time I get to act like your mother is when your father's not around to stop me."

"Wait, you know we want you to like, sign something, right?" Dick asked out loud.

"We're glad she's visiting too Dick, geez." Wynne shot at him, breaking off peices of bread from her sandwich, "It's not like that's all she's here for."

Dick looked over at his sister, "Funds are running a bit low now that Dad's MIA. It's sort of a big deal Chipper." She rolled her eyes.

"I know Dick." Their mother went on to discuss something about their Dad, but Wynne sort of stopped listening. Another thing she was doing a lot lately.

"So you'll help us?" Cass seemed pretty eager and desperate. Wynne knew how happy he was their mom was there too. He just wouldn't show it. Now that dad was gone, he had to be more of a man in front of Dick.

"Well, I don't know, baby. That's a lot of money. I mean, if you spend it all know, there will be nothing left for college. Or God forbid, an emergency. And Wynne's still 14. A million is a lot for someone so young to be responsible for. I have to think about your future."

"You know, maybe we could come live with you." Cassidy said, looking at their mom.

"Dude, stop." Dick called out, going to hit his brother. Wynne intercepted in time, and threw his arm back towards him.

"C'mon Beav, Mom spends most of the year in Europe anyway. We have been doing just fine without Dad around anyway." Wynne said to him, leaning back into the couch. It was true. A lot of the time Dick Casablancas Sr. worked late, or jetted off to Japan in the middle of the day without warning. All for the business, of course.

"I like Europe, Chipper." he shot back at her. Why does he keep calling her that? But she had just called him Beav. She assumed they were even. Wynne liked Europe as well. But she didn't want to leave Kendall here. She wouldn't give her that pleasure.

Before she left, the previous Mrs. Casablancas made sure she talked to her daughter. Apparently it was important to her.

"Sweetheart, I just want you to know I love you. And if you ever need to get away, or just want to see me, call and I'll get you a ticket to wherever I am." She leaned and kissed her daughter on the forehead, "And until you're 16, your brother Dick is the co-signer for your money account. This may seem odd, but it's the rules of the banks for such a large amount of money. I've already put a large deposit in your savings while I've been in town anyway, but in case you need a lot, get your brother to take you to the bank." Wynne looked up at her mother. She couldn't do anything but hug her at this point.

And to a Casablancas, that meant a lot.

--

_okay, not the best ending, but I tried. That took me way too long to type. And it took me only about forever. Yikes. Enjoy though! Please read and review? Pleeease. It means a lot. Thanks._


	9. Chapter 9

"Veronica, I don't mean to be, like, rude. Or sound like my charming brother Dick. But, honestly, what if the fact that we both missed the bus crash was merely a coincidence?"

It was a very valid question. And honestly, Wynne didn't believe anything anymore. School was her only escape lately. Home was just terrible now, without their dad. Kendall was constantly in her face, making comments about her favourite mood, and always demanding money. Wynne couldn't help but give in and turn out some money for her, because if she didn't, she knew her loving step mom would just start selling her father's things.

And she knew her dad could get out of this. Her brothers may call her naive, but she had a lot of faith in her dad. He could do it. Then, once he got out, everything he loved would still be there. Especially his sport cars.

"Actually, Wynne, it may just be that. But, I still wanna talk about it, if that's okay. And trust me, you are a lot more charming than Dick." Veronica laughed, scribbling a few things down in the notebook open in front of her. She was okay. Even after the whole babysitting fiasco with Meg's family, things were slightly alright. Even if Meg was pregnant. And Logan was under close watch by the local police department for murdering Felix. Things were okay. To say the least.

"Thanks." Wynne said shortly, shrugging her shoulders. She had spent most of the weekend in her bedroom, doing school work and easily avoiding her stepmother.

_"What? Spending another night drinking at Logan's new lavish hotel suite?" Wynne remarked to her oldest brother, as she layed across the couch and watched him search for alcohol in their dad's study._

_"Well, he's sort of been in and out of jail so-"_

_"What? What'd he do?" Wynne hated showing emotion in her voice._

_"Why are you so concerned? It's practically nothing. Beav and I are gonna go crash the sleeeepovah at the new chick's house."_

_Wynne rolled her eyes. Of course they were. What else did rich boys do with their free time? _

_"Well, at least they aren't sitting at home alone, unlike someone.."_

Ah, yes. Her brother's spent their Friday crashing Gia Goodman's sleepover, and she really didn't want to hear the details. She thought Veronica had been there, but whatever, she didn't need to bring it up.

They discussed the bus crash for a while, but Wynne was just repeating most of the things she had once said to the bumbling Sheriff. Even if he was pretty cute, he was quite the asshole.

_It had been the day **after** the bus crash, and Wynne was still shaken up. What if she had been on that bus? She wouldn't be alive anymore. But instead of relaxing, and trying to take her mind off of things, she had to come down to the Sheriff's office so he could talk to everyone about it. Seeing as she wasn't on the bus, apparently the need to talk to her was more of a big deal._

_"Like I said, the bus drove off without me. I didn't miss it on purpose. I left my purse on there, although it wasn't important seeing as I had my money and cell phone and crap with me, but that's beside the point." she paused, "And I already told you all of this. Why keep asking the same questions?" She looked over to Sheriff Lamb, who was staring at her with a blank face, and leaning back in his chair._

_"Sometimes stories change, kid."_

_"My name is Wynne, not kid. Thanks." She snapped at him, mimicking his chair lean._

_"Alright then, **Wynne**, why weren't you in the limo with your brothers?" He smacked the piece of gum in his mouth, and she rolled her eyes._

_"Because Dick is an idiot."_

_"Do go on."_

_"That's pretty self explanatory. The bus smelled vile, so Dick called daddy and got a limo. Then forgot to tell me about it." She crossed her arms, and closed her eyes for a moment. She didn't want to be there. She would rather be at home, sleeping everything away._

_"So you missed the bus at the gas station, then what? Decided it would be smart to rollerblade back to Neptune?"_

_"I don't understand why you need to ask me about this. I wasn't in the limo, or the bus. I wasn't even there when the crash happened." She sighed loudly, and over dramatically. She rested her arms on the table, and looked over at him. "I have better ways to spend my time."_

_He avoided her remarks and continued, "Why didn't you call your brothers and get the limo to come get you? This was on your rich daddy's charge, I'm sure the driver wouldn't have minded."_

_"Yeah, like I wanted them to turn all the way around, come get me and endure Dick's ridiculing for the rest of the ride home. You don't know what it's like to have that ass as a brother. Thanks."_

"Veronica, I have a question for you. Why didn't you take the limo home?" Wynne asked the blonde, taking a sip of her bottled water.

"Honestly, I wanted to talk to Meg. And if you saw that, it didn't go smoothly anyway. Although, at this point, it really doesn't help with my constantly surfacing dreams."

"Oh, I know what you mean. This one of me being _on_ the bus, and plunging to my death really doesn't help my sleep patterns." Before their discussion could continue, the bell rang, signifying the end of lunch.

"I've gotta go Veronica, sorry. If I'm late for Science one more time, Mr.Wu might attack me."

--

Wynne dashed through the hallways at school. She had only three more minutes to get her science books and get to class on time. It would be a feat she could reward, if only she could do it. She opened her locker quickly, and grabbed her science binder. She slammed the door closed and rushed around, and unfortunately, running into someone. A tall someone.

"Shit." she said loudly, seeing her science notes scattered all across the hallway in front of her.

"Hey, that's some pretty harsh language for a cute ninth grader." Wynne sighed, and looked up at the person she just didn't recognize. She did slightly, having seen him around school once or twice before, but she was unsure of who he was. A senior, definitely.

"Wait a second, I know who you are." she heard him state, as she started to collect her Science notes with help from the boy who was still rambling.

"Really? Don't make me press." she said dryly, standing up. Her day was just not going well at this point.

"Dick's sister right?"

"My name's Wynne." she said firmly, holding the piles of papers in her arms and finally looking at the road block face to face. He had brown hair that just covered his ears, paired with soft blue eyes and a warm smile. Yup, definitely a senior.

"Well, hello Wynne. I'm Casey." He extended his hand, but she just stared at him. Like she had the time or ability to shake his hand at this point.

"Well, Casey, thanks to you being in my way, I'm going to be late for science. And, if you are friends with my brother, have fun skipping." She gave him a small smile, and hurried down the hallway to the science lab. She reached the door just as the bell rang, and slipped into her seat in the back row.

"Late again, Ms.Casablancas." her teacher called to her, not looking up from his stack of paper in front of him.

"Are you serious? I was like, twenty seconds late."

"Like you just said, late." She groaned and rested her head on her binder, as he took the attendance. Why is it that teachers lived to make their students' life unfair? Soon after, Mr.Wu was asking for homework. Wynne smiled. She had done all of it, in full detail and in her opinion, it was the best written homework she had done. She opened her binder to find it missing, then continued to search her bag.

"Homework, Wynne."

"I must have left if in my locker," she said quietly, sighing.

"Of course, a likely excuse." She heard him murmur to himself, scribbling something down on his clipboard. She groaned and leaned her head on her binder. Things just weren't going smoothly. As her teacher droned on and on about the Periodic Table and numerous elements, Wynne figured the only way to calm down was music. She grabbed her iPod from her back and slipped the headphones into her ears. Putting the songs on shuffle, she waited for something good to come on, and it did: Huddle Formation by The Go! Team. She smiled and leaned back in her chair. She had the perfect plan, always keep one headphone in to relax and leave the other one out in case she got called on.

And she did.

Oh how Mr.Wu must hate her.

"Miss Casablancas, are you listening to music in my class? I'd advise you to take those out." That was it, why did he always pick on her?

"Only music you'd approve of, sir." She said slyly, rolling her eyes, "The **Wu **Tang clan."

--

How could such a suave remark like that land her in detention?

Even worse, it was an after school detention. Only the worst kind. No one ever wanted to stay late after school just because your teacher said so. Wynne didn't want to get into any more trouble because of it, so she wasn't even thinking of skipping out on it. After leaving her last period class, instead of heading to her locker, she went to Cassidy's.

She found him piling up his books in the bottom of the locker, considering he had one on the top row.

"Hey Cass," she said quietly, and over dramatically as she leaned on the locker beside his.

He laughed a bit, "Bad day, huh?"

She shot him a confusing look, "How'd you know that?"

He shut his locker door, and looked over at his sister. "I'm your brother, I notice things." This was her turn to laugh.

"At least you do. I doubt Dick even knows my real name." she paused, "Any chance you're kicking around school until 4:30 today?"

"Like I want to spend another hour and a half here," he said, biting his lip a little bit.

"Damn it."

"Why?"

"Well, I _sort of_ have detention."

"Way to go." he said laughing, as they began to walk down the hallway side by side, "What did you do?"

"Nothing, really. Mr.Wu just hates me." Another pause. "Do you think Dick will come pick me up later?"

"Maybe I'll talk to him and get back to you, alright?" She nodded her head.

"Alright, I better go. See you at home."

Wynne headed to her locker quickly, and dropped any unnecessary books into her locker and put the ones she needed into her bag. She double checked for the iPod she had snagged of Wu's desk after he confiscated it, and then headed to her doom. Maybe there would be someone worth talking to in detention today. Or just someone to look at, if they were cute enough. Or someone to gossip with, at least.

If not, she had her music to tide her over.

She opened the door to the English room, where detention was being held, and only spotted a few people. She recognized some guy in her grade, one of the stoners, a girl in the tenth grade talking on her phone, and one or two others. No one that held her attention for more then twenty seconds. She took a seat in the back corner of the room, and leaned back. Only and hour and a half to go. Maybe she'd get some work done.

Just as whoever the supervising teacher entered the room, she heard someone sit down beside her. She didn't want to take the effort to see who it was, it wasn't really worth her time. She'd rather just wait out the afternoon.

"Really, Chipper, it's rude not to say hello to boys you love."

She rolled her eyes.

"I don't love you, Logan." She paused, "Really, all I know about you is from your dad's True Hollywood Story."

"Well, why don't we change that? Just ask away."

"Why are you even here?"

"Detention, Chipper. Come on, try harder than that."

"Why are you in detention, dumbass?"

He shrugged, "A few things piled up. Unimportant. What about you?"

She paused for a moment. They were having a civil conversation for once. It was slightly hard to believe.

"Mr. Wu hates me." She said simply, laughing.

Logan chuckled along, "I think that man hates everyone." They continued to talk for a bit, and slowly, they got to know little facts about each other. Like how Logan was a sucker for Frappachino's at Starbucks, and how Wynne thought he had the coolest car. A yellow Xterra. Good stuff.

"Alright, another question for you," she asked quietly, after Logan had mouthed off to the supervising teacher, and caused her to leave the room.

"Shoot." he said, as he leaned back in his chair, chewing on the cap of his pen.

"Why do you keep talking to me all the time? Dick's other friends never give me the time of day. And you are so consistent and always there. Honestly, you give me your attention more than Dick most of the time."

Before Logan could get his answer in, Principal Clemmons was walking into the room alongside their initial supervisor. Logan shifted his attention to them, and started laughing quite loudly.

"Mr. Echolls, and Ms. Casablancas, that will be enough talking for today. I'll be watching this group for the next half hour, so you can all spend your time here in silence. I have a throbbing headache."

After rolling her eyes, angry about not getting an answer from Logan, she felt a buzzing in her pocket. Her phone. A text message, most likely.

_Dick's sleepin. Can't pick you up. Sorry, Chip. - Beav_

"Augh." she groaned loudly, getting a glare from her vice principal. She rested her head on her folded arms, and sighed. Now she would just have to walk home. The next half hour moved by slowly, even with Logan constantly kicking her chair. He was just like a child, she thought to herself. Once they were released from detention, Wynne did her best to hurry out of the class room and begin her walk home. She wasn't going to ask for a ride, because that brought out awkward conversation most of the time. Plus, she lived quite a bit away. A brisk walk would do her good an-

"Chipper!" she heard Logan call from behind her. Why, oh why did he keep doing this? She reached the doors to the parking lot, and headed outside.

"Wynne?" she heard him call this time, and she slowed down her pace. She just wasn't in a good mood anymore, even if she had spent a good hour talking to Logan and actually feeling okay because of it.

"What?" she snapped, as he caught up to her.

"Why do girl's emotions always change in an instant? Maybe it's something in the air." he said out loud, cracking a smirk. She wasn't biting.

She shook her head and started her walk in the other direction, away from Mr. Funny.

"Seriously, do you need a ride?" She shook her head, even as he was catching up to her pace. "Why are you so god damn stubborn? I'll drive you home." He was practically yelling at this point. She looked up, and he looked sincere for once. She sighed, and just gave in.

"Fine."

"Thank you. Jeez." he mumbled, as they walked back to his vehicle. "I thought you wanted to ride in the glorious Loganmobile anyway." She shrugged her shoulders. "And honestly, Chipper, it would have been hard for you to walk home with your shoelaces untied." She glanced down at her feet, and alas, they were untied. She got into the passanger's side of the car, and leaned back.

"You mean my shoelaces are **_loose_**? Don't you like loose things. I mean, you are sleeping with my step mom and all." She smirked at him.

"What can I say? It's relaxing." he shrugged, as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"You say relaxing, I say she's a whore." she paused, "Yeah, I guess that's the same." Logan just laughed.

Maybe detention had been worth it.

--

_There you go kids. Hope you enjoyed that, sorry it took so long to get up. Family issues occured just around the holidays, then school bombarded me with work and exams. I wrote this entire thing when I should have been studying, so you better like it. lol. review please!! I promise, there is more Logan/Chipper interaction coming up soon. Plus, more of Casey. (I hope you remember him, by the way. from season one. I just, made him last a year later. check him out a for more info/images. swweeet, thanks.)_


	10. Chapter 10

"Aren't you getting up?"

"I actually don't really _feel_ like going to school. You know, that's how you spend most of your days."

'Why do you care anyways?' was really all she wanted to ask him.

"Does Beav know about this?"

Wynne paused from her fun game of staring at her ceiling, to stare at Dick. He was standing at her door way, surprisingly dressed and ready to go to school early. She was still in her pajamas, and really, didn't feel like going to school. She hadn't finished her science homework, again, and wasn't in the mood for any more detention or anymore comments from her science teacher.

"Why does it matter if _Cass_ knows?" She glanced over at him, then back to her ceiling, flopping down onto her pillow in her best efforts to ignore the world around her. She heard him leave the room, and she sighed out of relief. Within moments, someone was back at her door.

"Wynne, c'mon, if you stay at home, you'll have to endure Kendall. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone."

She sighed. Cassidy was right.

"I hate it when you are right. Give me five minutes."

--

"Dick, considering your stand on life, meaning the party and girls lifestyle, how would you describe your relationship with your sister?"

It was early in the school morning, and both Logan and Dick were headed off to class. After being the one who drove the youngest Casablancas home after her detention, and hearing her shrill shrieks about how much she hated her brothers at times, he was left curious about the state of mind his friend was in. Dick didn't seem close with his sister at all. At most, he seemed close with his brother, and his sister was just there. As he thought, Logan became a bit shocked about the vast amount of knowledge he knew about the members of the Casablancas family. Considering he was friends with Dick and Beaver, and he well, _knew_ Kendall, and had now talked to Chipper a few times.

"Uh, why does it matter?" Dick replied to his friend. It was one of those spur of the moment type of questions he had just been hit with. And clearly, he didn't know how to answer it. He just wasn't close with his sister. He hadn't played baseball with her when they were younger, like Beav had. He wasn't a chick, like Kendall was. It seemed he just didn't have things in common with his sister. Aside from sharing parents and a brother.

"Well, seeing as Trina's in town, it's causing me to think about my relationship with my sister. Which led me to think about yours." Logan shrugged.

"It's weird how, like, serious you are being about this whole thing." Dick started to speak. This was his easiest way to respond, considering he wasn't sure how to answer his friend's question.

"Well, by the looks of it, I have more in common with my adopted sister than you do with your real sister." Dick watched as Logan grabbed a sheet of paper from his binder, rested his pen between his lips, and crumpled up the piece of paper. As they made their way down the hallway, he tossed it at Wynne, purely out of amusement. Really, their was no point to his action. The piece of paper was blank, and she just didn't see it coming. Dick just chuckled along with his friend and they continued their way to class.

It was true. Wynne hadn't seen that piece of crumpled paper come flying at her face. She let out a low shriek, and ended up dropping all her books, again. Damn it. Stupid Logan Echolls and his constant need to bother her.

She groaned and bent down on her knees to gather all her papers and books again.

"It seems you have trouble keeping your books in hand when I'm around, huh?" Wynne glanced up to see the same guy standing there again, Casey. From conversation with her brother, and just listening to him ramble, she had found out he was Casey Gant, and apparently he was a 'pretty cool dude'. Not that Dick-speak explained much. And from what she overheard at the coveted 09er lunch table, he could be quite the asshole.

"I think it's a coincidence you keep showing up at my locker area, really." she replied to him smoothly. She couldn't help but smile a little bit, he was rather cute. With messy brown hair, and inviting blue eyes, it was hard not to look at him.

He laughed, and she leaned against her locked, after standing up again. "Whatever you say, Casablancas." He paused, then continued, "Well, how late were you for science yesterday?"

"Late enough to get a detention." she replied to him, rolling her eyes. Oh well, detention had been worth it. In a way. She had an interesting experience getting to know Logan Echolls. Although, it wasn't something she wanted to endure again.

"Even though I wouldn't say it's my fault, I'm sorry." he said with a sincere smile. She laughed a bit, and looked across the hall at the clock for the time. Just one more class then lunch.

"And I hate to cut this short Casey, but I have Art. And I can be late for that actually," she said, thinking.

"How about I walk you there?"

She shrugged her shoulders. Then pondered for a moment. This here was one of her brother's friends. Whom was clearly flirting with her, and it didn't seem to be that joking kind that Dick would set him up to do. She could see herself liking this guy, even. She sighed, then nodded. A smile appeared on her face.

"Lead the way."

--

She was definetly getting the wrong ideas about this Casey thing. She was leaning on the 'I could like him' side of things, but then she remembered one little thing standing in her way: Dick. It's likely he wouldn't approve at all. This guy was three years older than her, and not to mention was a friend of his. She paused her thoughts, and stopped sketching on the art pad in front of her. Maybe this was a good idea: not only would it get to Dick, and annoy the hell out of him, it would most likely leave her happy.

She wondered for a moment if Logan would approve.

She shook her head. Why did it matter if he approved of it?

He was just a friend of her brother's, that's it. She just happened to know him well it seems now, and enjoy his humour. Hell, he was sleeping with her step mother. Why did she need his approval for someone she liked?

She shook her head again, and continued with her sketch. Casey would be at the 09er table at lunch. She could smile then.

--

Wynne grabbed her bottle of water as it fell from the machine outside. She tucked her purse under her pale arm, and headed deeper into the seating area outside. It was amazing how each table was filled with a different stereotype. To her left sat the jocks, then farther up some people she'd classify as computer nerds. Considering some of those people were on the yearbook commitee with her, she wasn't really pleased with calling them that. But really, that's how life works.

She took a seat at one of the tables in her area, surrounded by freshly make-uped girls and roaring guys. That was the 09er lifestyle. She didn't see Casey, which was fine. This was really the only place he ate lunch, so she knew he'd show up anyway. She glanced over at her brother, whom seemed to be arguing with Logan. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but that didn't bother her. She sipped her water, and just watched them.

"You know you never answered my question." Logan said to Dick, as he leaned back on the table he was sitting on.

"What question?" Dick asked his friend, truly unaware of what he was talking about. Well, that was a bit of a lie. His question was probably about his sister again, like that morning.

"How would you describe your relationship with your sister?" Logan asked, pretending to pull out a card, as if a host on a game show. Dick rolled his eyes.

"Why is this important again?"

"It seems you keep avoiding my question. You don't have an answer, do you?" Logan said this as more of a statement, not as a question.

Dick glanced over at Wynne, whom he saw sitting a few tables down, now making conversation with Casey Gant. His friend Casey Gant. His friend whom was making his younger, innocent sister laugh. And giggle. That wasn't right.

"What are you trying to say? That I don't know my sister?" Dick finally replied to Logan, after looking away from his sister.

"Sure. Whatever dude." Logan had sooner followed his friend's wandering eyes. And had landed on the same sight. Casey Gant flirting with Chipper? That was weird. And even worse, she was flirting back?

"Well, try me. I know her." Dick mumbled, taking a drink from his bottle of root beer.

"What's her favourite movie then?"

Dick paused to think. There was that one movie his sister always watched over and over again. He bit his lip a bit, and brushed a few strands of his blonde hair out from in front of his eyes.

"Uhm, something about.. uh.. with that uh, Estevez dude, maybe? Uhh.. Mighty Ducks?"

Logan let out a laugh. "Chipper!"

Wynne had been enjoying her conversation with Casey. He had said a few things that made her blush and laugh profusely. He had even invited her out for coffee on the upcoming Friday evening. She was beyond happy with how their talking was going. Until, well, that. Stupid Echolls boy.

"My name is Wynne." she retorted, her voice sounding a bit harsh.

"Whatever. What's your favourite movie?"

Why did he need to know this right now?

"The Breakfast Club." she paused, "Why?"

Logan looked back at Dick.

"Damn." Dick looked over at Casey. "Don't touch my sister, Gant."

Wynne rolled her eyes.

"Dick." she waited for him to turn, and look at her. She gave him a bit of a glare.

"Could you just shut up for once? Thanks."

She sighed, and looked away from him. Well, at least she had Friday to look forward to.

--

Man, it took me wayy too long to type this out. I was losing inspiration and ideas. But some stuff is sticking, a bit. The reviews were amazing guys! Thanks so much! Now, just do it again. Do we like Wynne with a boy? With Casey? Hmmm. Sorry for the length too, I could have done more. Gr.


	11. Chapter 11

Friday really didn't come soon enough.

Wynne had been anticipating her small coffee date with Casey all week. She had become giddy around the sight of him, and his sweet soft words made her heart flutter a bit. It was a wonderful feeling she had troubles describing most of the time. And to be honest, she was pretty darn sure Cassidy was feeling something along the lines of it too. She had seen him a few times eating lunch with that computer girl, Mac. She loved that girl's hair, it was so outrageous. She'd love to try that.

She arrived at the Java Hut, the place of their get together just on time. Well, to be quite honest, she had arrived a few minutes early. She was greeted by Veronica at the door, a smile across her clearly tired face.

"Well if it isn't the Casablancas I actually like." Veronica said to the girl, holding a menu of sorts in her arm.

"Hey Veronica." Wynne said. She couldn't help but smile. It was all she had been able to do lately.

"I was kidding, dude. I like Beav too. Dick.. on the other hand." the blonde paused, "Nevermind me. You seem rather chipper."

She laughed to herself a bit, in reference to her one nickname being used in it's right context. Being chipper was simply described as being _in lively spirits_.

"I am." Wynne replied, "I'm looking for Casey Gant. Is he here yet?"

"Actually, he showed up requesting a table for two a few minutes ago. Just seated him. Are you here to fill that empty seat?" Veronica asked her, a fake gasp on her face. Wynne nodded. Veronica smiled, and led the way to the table. To be quite honest, this was Wynne's first real date. Unless you count group movie dates in elementary school and juniour high. She had dressed simply in a pair of dark blue jeans, paired with a red and white polka-dotted top. Her hair was loosely resting on her shoulders, held back by a white hairband. She had dashed out of the house for a ride from Dick before Kendall could critize her.

As Veronica left their table, Wynne happily took her seat with the smiling Casey. He just looked so genuinely cute. And kept a good, intelligent conversation. She was pleased. And still smiling.

And still in very lively spirits.

--

"Dude, are you aware that the drive from your house to this here suite at the Neptune Grand should only be ten minutes. And I requested you be here at least 20 minutes ago." Logan wasn't being serious. He could care less when Dick show up at his new hotel suite. And, luckily, he had timed the distance between said Casa de Casablancas, and said hotel suite, because of well, you know, that whole _thing_ with Kendall.

"I had to drop Chipper off. On her _date_ with Casey," he paused, as he continued into the suite, dropping himself onto the couch, "What kind of crap is that anyway?"

"Can't you, as the big brother, stop things like this?" Logan spoke out loud, staring up at the video game he was in the middle of. To be honest, he was kind of curious as to how Dick may react to this.

"Doubt it." Dick paused in thought. "Doesn't matter anyway, Casey wouldn't be scared off. And Chipper wouldn't take me seriously."

Logan laughed at that comment. It was true. And almost sad. He had learned that the female Casablancas had absolutely no respect for her eldest brother. She just didn't approve of the way he treated people, as if he was better. And he justified that with a simple, "Well, I am better than them." Which, in turn, angered her and caused her to storm off in anger. The usual situation.

"Where were they going on this date anyway?"

"That place Ronnie works, I think. With the coffee and stuff." Dick paused again. "Chipper doesn't drink coffee, does she? I don't get it.."

"Well, Richard. Why don't we go get some coffee, and then maybe you will get it. You know?"

Dick didn't really understand what his friend was implying. Until they were outside in his yellow Xterra and on the way back to the Java Hut. Then it clicked.

"Dude, crashing their date? Right on."

"No. Spying on their date. Much more suave. Plus, always a highlight with the ladies."

--

Casey was rather adorable. He said nice things. And even held her hand. The night couldn't have gone any better. If there was a time for things to go wrong, it would have been then. Because really, Wynne could just ignore them. She didn't even see her brother and Dick come in.

They were across the room, sitting at a table, doing their best to hide behind menus.

"I'm feeling totally 007, right now." Dick muttered, as he glanced around his menu. There his sister sat, engrossed in conversation with _his_ friend, Casey. Why would _his_ friend take interest in _his_ sister? It was crazy, to him.

"Except you look terrible in a suit." Logan smirked, as he just as nonchalantly looked over from his seat to young, innocent Wynne.

"Well, this is interesting." Veronica said as she approached their table, hiding a smirk on her face. "Maybe I've been working too long."

"Hush Ronnie, I've got a sister to watch."

Veronica opened her mouth to say something, then stopped herself and smiled a bit at Logan, "Can I get you anything? Or you just in on this?" She motioned her hand to Dick.

"A latte would be delightful. Make sure it's toppped with carmel drizzle and a bit of your wit." She scrunched up her face a bit, and nodded turning on her heel away from the table. She returned to behind the counter, grabbing a brownie from the tray and the latte for the apple of her eye. She made her way back out, and placed the latte on the table of the boys. Logan already lost interest in spying on the young girl, and was fiddling with his cell phone now instead.

"A free brownie? It's not even my birthday." he said to the blonde, taking a sip of his drink.

"Not for you. Enjoy yourselves, boys."

Veronica headed across the small cafe, and placed the brownie down between Casey and Wynne, doing her best not to distract them.

"Not to interrupt, I just needed a reason to come over here, so enjoy this brownie. And, if you, ya know, feel like it, look directly across the room." She looked over at Wynne, "Your two favourite people are here."

"Thanks Veronica." Wynne said slowly, as she still glanced at Casey. He had nice eyes. She blinked for a moment, and both she and her date looked across the room. At first she didn't understand. Then she saw them.

"You've gotta be kidding me." she said slowly. "I'm sorry." She said to Casey, who looked a bit confused.

Casey, though, was just laughing now.

"It's no big deal, really. Dick's just being protective."

No. Dick doesn't do protective. Dick does asshole.

"I don't think so." she said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, there's one way we can battle that." Casey replied, moving his shoulder to motion Dick and Logan. He threw her a small smile, and brought his hand up to her cheek. Then they were kissing. And Wynne was almost floating.

"Whaaaat?"

That was Dick, roaring across the small room, throwing down his menu. Wynne broke from the kiss, breathless.

She looked across the room, smiled at her brother and Logan, then waved.

Definetly worth it.

--

Things went so nicely for at least a month. Wynne had definetly fallen head over heels for Casey. He was just a little protective and controlling. Even when she talked to Logan Echolls of all people, he got all scowly and bitter. But he was just so nice to her, and so sweet, she had to love him for it.

Well, she didn't think she _loved_ Casey. But she knew she really liked the guy.

It was the day of the Winter Carnival. And it was Wynne's birthday. The Big 15. And even though it was a carnival to fundraise for the senior trip, she had to volunteer at the FBLA booth. Which meant serving numerous ice cold slushies to numerous idiots willing to shell out three dollars for one drink. Casey, whom yes was a senior, but no wasn't a FBLA member decided it would be the best night to plan a family dinner. So he wouldn't even be there until at least.. three hours in. So she spent her time either serving ice cold drinks, or dawdling around the place with a few people in her grade. Some friends, if you will.

Wynne liked being modest. But it was clear she was part of the crowd of popular ninth graders. It was evident. Her family was rich, famous and well known. Which lead her to being well liked, and helped her make friends easily. She guided herself around the carnival, and quickly crossed the path of her brother, Cass, and Mac.

"Happy birthday!" Mac called out quickly first, a smile lining her face.

"Thanks." Wynne replied, playing with the hair that hung gently at her shoulder.

"Where's your boy?"

Wynne looked over at her brother for a moment, who looked genuinely happy. Honestly. He had a real smile on his face, and it seemed even brighter when his hand was intertwined with Mac's.

"Some dinner. He's picking me up later." she paused, then looked at her cell phone, "Sorry to cut this short, I've got slushies to serve. See you guys later."

And that is exactly what she did. She spent the better part of the evening sitting at the booth, and watching people. She occasionally had others take over, like her eldest brother at one point, but stayed her ground. Veronica seemed to be working hard at discovering whom had taken the trip money, so Wynne didn't mind taking the shifts.

The night moved pretty slowly anyway. The most excitement had been drawn to her attention occured when Logan Echolls showed up at the booth with Hannah.. Something. Wynne wasn't sure of her name, but she knew she was only a year older than herself. And not really in the crowd Logan flows with. Even if her dad was a rich surgeon. Whatever. They had bought too ice cold slushies, so Wynne couldn't bother making any more small talk than that.

Logan definetly didn't approve of her dating Casey, he had made that pretty clear. Even though she really didn't care for his opinion, or tried not to care, it got to her. It was only because he didn't like Casey. And how Casey treated her, apparently, even if all she saw was this super nice side of the guy.

"Hey. Ready to bust this popsicle stand?" Wynne smiled and broke her line of thought as she heard the voice she recognized. Casey. She smiled, and he wrapped her in a hug. The evening was coming to an end, and most people were leaving anyway.

"Oh definetly. Let's roll." she said, keeping herself close to his side as he wrapped his arm over her shoulder. "What's the plan?"

"A drive to the beach."

--

And he was being completely serious too. It was dark out, and he thought it would be romantic to watch the stars from the beach. Again, things like this made Wynne so bubbly inside.

They had just arrived at a part of the beach Casey had planned to stop at, and just as he stopped the car, Wynne's cellphone rang. She looked at the caller ID, and it read Logan. She sighed, and stepped out of the car to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Where's your brother?"

Wynne sighed.

"Which brother?"

"Beaver, cause we are best friends."

"Echolls, this is no time for sarcasm. I don't know where Dick is."

"Oh."

"Is this all?"

"When's the last time you saw him?"

"Wynne! C'mon!" That was Casey, totally interupting her phone call. He looked a bit pissed off. She was taking a phone call from Logan Echolls in the middle of their "romantic" date.

"One sec." she said into the phone, and turned to her boyfriend.

"Hold on, okay? This will only be like, a minute."

She returned her phone to her ear and took a few steps forward, to get a better reception.

"Last time I saw Dick he was getting turned down by Madison in the parking lot. Why do you need to find him anyway? And why didn't you just try his cell?"

"Well, Chipper." She knew he was beginning to become annoyed. He didn't drop her nickname into conversation often anymore. "Clearly I already tried that. And he was holding my wallet. And seemed to have left with it."

"Not your keys though?"

"No."

"Then why are you calling me? Drive to the house." As they bits of bickering continued, Wynne turned and saw Casey **_driving away_** from where she was standing. She hung up her phone quickly and followed after him, but he just kept driving.

AUGH.

What a jerk. Now Wynne was stuck at some beach off the PCH, without a ride home. In the dark. On a Friday. She was scared out of her mind. And knew who she had to call.

"Sorry for hanging up on you.. but, uh.." She explained the small situation to Logan Echolls and heard his laughter in return.

Then he agreed to come get her.

"Aren't you glad we're pals Chipper?"

--

_Lame ending, don't be mad! I have a brilliant idea for the next chapter that involves Chipper and Logan. Okay? Kay. Please let me know what you thought. And yes, I know, Casey is a jerk. Psht. Why be jealous of Logan Echolls? Haha. Thanks for reading!!_


	12. Chapter 12

"So he really just drove away?" 

"Uh huh."

"Left you right there, on the beach?"

"Uh huh."

"Because you were on the phone with me?"

"I think so."

"Casey is an idiot."

Wynne laughed lightly. At least the car ride hadn't been awkward. She never really felt awkward around Logan anymore, even though he was so sarcastic and pessimistic most of the time, and not to mention he was best friends with her brother. They were friends. At least that's what she thought it was. Friends made sense anyway. She wasn't going to admit it, but Wynne had troubles letting people in. It happened rarely. She had barely let Casey in, and now he was gone. He was irrational and protective. Cassidy and Dick had always been in, because.. they were related. Wynne would rather keep them out most of the time. She could feel herself letting Logan in now, too. She hoped that was a smart move.

"Isn't it your birthday?"

She wasn't sure how he knew that.

She smiled a bit, and stared out the window, "Yup. Big 15. Not a big deal."

"Hey, birthdays are always a big deal." Logan replied to her, reaching towards the glove box of his shiny, yellow SUV. He opened it, and grabbed something, revealing a small flash of whiskey. He left it in one of the cupholders.

"Whatever you say." she said to him simply. She didn't really care about her birthday anymore.

"C'mon. Scale of 1 to 15, how was your birthday?"

"1 being?"

"Total shit." He shrugged.

"A four, I guess." She shrugged too.

"Well, that's not high enough." He paused. "My 15th birthday I spent with my dad, and he took me to the bar in the house, and gave me my first drink of alcohol. Or what he believe was my first drink. So." He motioned to the flask. "One drink, and I swear you'll forget about the crappy birthday."

"Are you trying to get me drink, Logan Echolls?" She smiled at him, then rolled his eyes.

"One sip of this won't get you drunk. Just go for it."

Wynne sighed. Then shrugged. _What the hell? Why not?_

She grabbed the flask and twisted the cap off, taking a drink of the whiskey. It burned as it flowed down her throat, and she shuddered as she put the cap back on and put it back in the cupholder.

"So not worth it." She laughed, trying to ignore the awful taste in her mouth. Logan just laughed as they continued to drive. There was music playing, some sort and it was quite otherwise. But it wasn't really an awkward quiet. Just that quiet that happens when you're comfortable with the people you are with. That makes sense.

Then the trouble happened.

"Oh, come ON!" Logan shouted out suddenly. Then Wynne realized there was a police car, sirens roaring, behind them, edging them to pull over. She was shocked he even did that, to be honest.

"Were you speeding?" she questioned out loud. It didn't seem like they were going that fast. Logan didn't even answer her.

As someone walked from the police car behind them to his window, he looked over at Wynne, "Your brother still has my wallet. That idiot!" Whoever just exited the police car, was knocking at the window to be rolled down. Logan turned towards the window, and did just that. And much to his dismay...

"Well, well, well. What a fun night to be patrolling." Just to Logan's luck, it was the local bumbling Sheriff Don Lamb.

Logan drummed his hands on his steering wheel.

"Logan Echolls and, this is?" He motioned over towards Wynne. She looked over at him, then looked back out the front dash.

"Your name, _kid_?" His tone was harsher that time.

"Casalancas. Wynne Casablancas, _sir_." She said directly, mimicking his tone, promptly deciding not to talk to him anymore. unless she had to. As she recalled, he was quite the asshole. He said something to himself about how the situation was interesting. Wynne rolled her eyes.

"License, and proof of insurance. Oh, and to make this fun, car registration."

Logan just stared at him.

"Is this really necessary?"

"Of course it is. You were speeding." He slowed down his speak, as if talking to a child. "That means you were going too fast. And I'm just doing my job as Sheriff."

Logan didn't have his license. That was the first problem. And the fact that he kept being stubborn and acting rude (even if he deserved it) toward the Sheriff did not help him at all. Within moments, Logan was being asked to step out of the car. Wynne mumbled something under her breath, sighed and leaned back in the chair. Lamb looked back into the vehicle, as if searching.

"Let me get this straight. You're speeding, caught without your license, and your driving with alcohol AND a minor. Honestly, I must be blessed." The Sheriff was so smug. Soon enough, Logan was in handcuffs, and swearing like a sailor.

"What about me, _Sheriff_?" Wynne called out. Then she was asked to step out of the car, too.

"Logan's car will be towed at his expense. And you'll both be heading to the station with me."

She sighed, and crossed her arms. It was cold. Then the Sheriff stopped her. She had to be handcuffed, too.

"Now, is that really necessary?" Logan called out, as he watched his friend's sister get handcuffed for no reason. The Sheriff just shrugged and put them in the back of his car. Wynne sighed, again. She felt as if she was near tears.

What a fantastic birthday.

--

Wynne was stuck in a jail cell, for no reason.

With Logan Echolls.

And Kendall was on the way, because they had to call her current legal guardian to come pick her up.

She had to endure all this, plus Sheriff Lamb commenting on her dad and what kind of person he was. He didn't say nice things, and this just left Wynne even more upset. Logan was working his way with words. He was going to get out, he knew he was. He would just have to pay a crapload of money. Since he was pretty much emancipated, and left without an adult guardian himself, he was free to go, once he paid. It was just Lamb's way of being himself. Waiting until the final moment to let him go. Nice guy, wasn't he?

Luckily, she got to keep her purse with her. And with the magic of make up, she wouldn't look like she was almost crying before, or on the verge of tears now. She had learned one trick over the years, blue eyeliner helps minimize the look of bloodshot eyes. So she lined her eyes up, and kept her position sitting against the wall while Logan laid across the bench.

"That shit on your eyes makes you look like a raccoon."

That was an unnecessary comment coming from Mr. Echolls himself. Before Wynne could even shoot a reply his way, a deputy was standing at the cell.

"Casablancas, your mom's here. And-"

"Step-mom." Wynne jumped in.

"And Logan, you're out too. You just have tickets to pay off."

The deputy unlocked the cell, and swung the door open, letting both of them out. Wynne progressed away from it, and her eyes landed upon Kendall, who looked tired and angry. She was tapping her foot. Tap.

As Wynne walked out, Logan at her side, Kendall sighed, and had an awkward loving mother sound in her voice.

"Oh, Chipper!"

She never called her Chipper.

Tap.

Wynne didn't approve. Chipper was a family nickname. She was called Chipper by her father, and by Dick and even by "Beaver" at times. Never Kendall. She didn't deserve to use that name. Logan shuffled off to fill out some paper work, or something, and left Wynne to face Kendall herself.

Tap.

Then she pulled her into a hug. Wynne guessed it was for dramatic effect. Kendall mumbled something to the Sheriff as they started to walk out, giving him an awkward flirtatious smile. It made Wynne gag. The show of love, and affection stopped the moment they stepped outside the doors. The very moment. That's when Kendall turned back into Kendall.

"Honestly. What the hell were you thinking? Why didn't you call one of your idiot brothers?"

Wynne sighed.

"I didn't call you. THEY called you. I surely would have called them over you, trust me."

"You know what, you can't speak to me that way."

Wynne rolled her eyes. That's when the thunder cracked, and the rain began to fall. It didn't rain often in Neptune. It was either sunshine.. or moonlight. Rain wasn't often on the bill.

"And you know what, I just did." Kendall stepped forward. She was just a few feet away from her stepdaughter now, anger building up. Wynne didn't care. She didn't. She couldn't care anymore. She hated Kendall.

"You are a little bitch." She spat roughly. "It's no wonder your dad fled the country. It's no wonder you don't have any friends. It's not wonder you look like _that_."

Yes, this was shaping up to be the perfect birthday. She felt hot tears come to her eyes again.

"And now you're going to cry. Good." Kendall just stared at her, a smirk on her face. "And you know what? You-"

"Kendall, go home." The tears fell. Logan Echolls was swooping in to save her again. Surprisingly, even as the rain fell, she didn't even say anything back to him. Kendall just turned on her heel, and dashed back to her SUV. Then sped away.

Wynne just stared at Logan. And he just looked back, then turned and took out his cellphone. She couldn't take it.

"Logan!" She wiped the tears away from her eyes. He hung up his phone quickly, and tucked it into his pocket, turning towards Wynne again. He probably couldn't even tell she was crying now, considering the strength of the rain.

"What? I'm calling the hotel shuttle." He was practicly yelling. The rain was thundering. He took a step towards her.

"Why do you keep doing this?" She paused, and took a breath, "You're so good to me, and I'm just your friend's sister. I don't deserve this." He just looked at her for a moment.

"That's why I keep doing this." He said simply. He moved a bit closer, he was only inches away from her. "You don't have anything good going for you. You have Dick for a brother, and Beaver who just shuts himself out." He paused. "Then there's Kendall, the superbitch. Trust me, I've heard what she says about you when you aren't around. It's just as bad as what just happened. You don't deserve _that._ You deserve better."

She gulped. He was just being a genuinely nice person to her. That was it. And she couldn't even see that, all along. She bit her lower lip, and shut her eyes. Then his arms were around her, embracing her in a tight hug. It was exactly what she needed, he was sure of it.

He was just being the 'better' for her.

And she had never appreciated Logan Echolls more than she did at that point.

* * *

_I apologize for this being.. awkwardly short, and written weird. I had to spew it out. This was souly for Logan and Wynne stuff, cause I know you guys like that. I'll be advancing the plot more in the next few chapters.Thanks for reading! Please review! _


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello there, my dedicated readers. I hope you don't hate me because I haven't updated in ages. My life has just been busy, and writing has not been the priority. But worry not, I have plans to finish this. Good stuff is coming, I swear. I hope you like this chapter, I send it out all to you._

* * *

The moment Wynne awoke from her slumber, she was confused. Where was she? How did she get there? Why wasn't she wearing her own clothes?

That was when it all came back to her.

Casey leaving her at the beach. Logan coming to get her. Logan getting pulled over. Spending two hours of her life in a jail cell. Kendall coming and being a fake mother. Logan telling her off. Screaming at Logan in the rain. Coming back to his place. Falling asleep in his bed?

_"I can just call a cab and go home, you know. Or call Dick." Wynne felt a little weird going to Logan's hotel suite. Not that anything was going to happen, it was just unusual._

_"Chipper, if you go home, Kendall will bitch you out. I mean, it's completely up to you. I think this is a better option."_

_They were already in the elevator, reaching the top of the hotel anyway. She just shrugged, then sighed. She would stay. Her clothes were soaking wet, and sticking to every inch of her. Her hair was damp, and frizzy. Her make-up had completely run from under her eyes. She was quite the mess._

_It suited her mood perfectly._

_They reached his suite, and he used his keycard to get in, whistling slightly to himself. As if the situation wasn't unusual to him. Wynne followed him in. The place was big, about four times the size of an average hotel room. And that was only the living room area._

_"Hmm." Logan pondered out loud, "I'd let you crash in Duncan's room, but his room hasn't been cleaned since he went and left the country, so it's a bit of a mess in there. So it's the couch or my bed."_

_She looked at him with wide eyes._

_"Whichever you pick, I will take the other. You know, never mind. I'll take the couch. You could use a good sleep."_

_"No, Logan, I'll sleep on the couch. I don't want-"_

_"No, __Wynne__, you can have the bed. Honestly. Just accept it. Please." She just gave in. May as well not argue with him._

_They both ended up lounging on his bed. He had given her some clothes to change in to, a pair of plaid pajama pants and a shirt. Pirates of The Caribbean was playing on the TV, and they ended up in a discussion about Johnny Depp and his best roles. And how good-looking he was. Logan was quite fond of him, it seems. Then she remembered falling asleep soon after. She was wiped. She wasn't sure if he moved over to the couch, or if he slept there too. But she did._

"Are you up yet? Geez."

That was Logan's polite way of waking her up. After sitting up for a moment, she fell back into the bed. She liked the pillows way too much to get up and off of them.

"Mmhmm." She replied. He walked into the room, a toothbrush in his mouth.

"You know it's like, 11:30."

"In the morning?" Wynne exclaimed.

"Clearly." Logan replied to her, motioning to the sun streaming through the window.

"Logan, helllllo! We have school."

"Like you are really that worried about school, Miss Detention." That smirk was on his face again. Wynne sighed. He continued. "So, there's a few of Veronica's shirts here if you want to throw one on. And your pants are dry. So we can just go to school for the afternoon if that'll make you less crazy."

"Echolls, with you in my life, I'll always be this crazy."

--

Wynne had completely forgotten about her brothers. In the midst of her jail adventure the night before, and her experience with Kendall, she forgot she had brothers. Well, not entirely, but it's understandable.

She forgot to call and tell Cass where she was.

She forgot to call Dick and tell him where she was. Not that he really cared.

That is, until she realized she had numerous missed calls on her phone.

"Did you hear my phone ringing last night?" She questioned Logan. They were back in his lovely yellow SUV, having being recovered from the highway last night.

"Yeah."

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I realized they were from Dick, so I called him instead. He didn't believe that you were at my place. Well, not that he didn't believe it, he didn't like it. Therefore, he probably tried to call you again. And he probably won't talk to me for the first ten minutes we see each other today. Not that I mind."

Wynne sighed. Before she could even compile her thoughts of her brothers, and of Logan, and of school, the phone in the palm of her hands was ringing.

It was Dick.

"Hello?" she said into the phone.

"Chipper, where the hell are you? Why didn't you even come home last night? Why aren't you at school?"

This was a new one. Dick was showed more concern in that one run-off of questions than he had within the last year of Wynne's life. She rolled her eyes.

"Uh, on my way to school. I didn't go home because I hate Kendall and want her to die in a fire. And I'll be at school in like ten minutes."

"Where are you? How are you getting to school?"

"In Logan's Exterra. That can actually answer both questions."

"Fuck Logan." And he hung up. Wynne groaned and threw her phone to the floor of the vehicle. He was such an idiot.

At times, the maturity of her brother was shocking.

--

Ultimately, Wynne soon regretted being immature and tossing her phone to the floor of Logan's SUV. The battery had popped out, and it wouldn't turn on all morning. And when she was able to turn it on, it let out an unusual continuous buzzing sound. She soon just turned it off for the better, and tried to determine someone who could help her fix it. This way, she also avoided her brother calling her throughout her afternoon classes.

Her plan was to avoid Dick until the last minute. Until she needed her ride home.

She had been getting good at avoiding people. As she dispersed from Logan, she darted into the school hallways and took a long awkward route to her locker. She was hoping _not_ to run into Casey. She didn't want to talk to him, she didn't want to see him. She didn't wany anything to do with him.

Before heading to class, Wynne opened her locker and pulled out a few books. She realized she didn't have her bag to place them in, so she just tucked them under her arms. As she shut her locker, she realized Weevil was standing there, leaning and staring at her.

"Can I help you?"

"Just wanted to say happy birthday, All Star."

She sighed, "My birthday was yesterday. But thanks." It was nice to hear it from someone.

"Well, it was on the announcements this morning. So I felt I should say it."

"Well, that was very nice of you Weevil Navarro." He gave her a smile and a nod, and headed on his way to skipping class.

Wynne smiled a bit. Sometimes people were surprising.

She continued along her way, and endured her classes. The moment the bell rang, she checked her phone for the time but realized it was still working wrong. She knew someone who might be able to help. And she knew where to find her. Wynne dashed from her last class and headed towards the yearbook room, where computers were often used by any students. She looked in, and spotted her.

"Hey, it's Mac, right?"

The girl, older than Wynne, with a red streak in her hair, turned away from her computer screen, "Yep." She paused, "Wait, you're Cassidy's sister, right?"

"Wynne." She smiled, then reached into her pocket for her phone, "I'm having a technology problem. Think you could help me out?"

Mac smiled, too, "I could try." She extended her hand out, and Wynne handed her the phone.

"I sorta threw it to the ground this morning. Whenever I turn it on the buttons stick and this buzzing sound happens."

"Hmm.." Mac just looked at it for a moment, "I'll see what I can do. I'm coming over tonight, so I'll just bring it back to you then, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks so much." Wynne gave her another smile, and left the room. Now she had to track down her brother before he left without her. She headed to her locker and shoved in her books, not caring about the homework she had to do. She raced out to the parking lot and saw her brother waiting beside his truck, talking to Logan. At least they were talking. It was a good thing boys didn't hold grudges.

She walked up to them, and casually waited for Dick's cue of them leaving.

As she walked up, Logan walked away, and Dick just got into the vehicle without word to his sister. She sighed and rolled her eyes, getting into the passenger side of the truck.

They started to leave the school in silence. Wynne figured her other brother was just getting a ride with Mac. As they continued their trip home, Wynne couldn't take the silence.

"Dick, you have no reason to be mad at me. No reason to be giving me the silent treatment. If anything, I should be mad at you."

"Why would you be mad at me, Chipper?"

She let out an exasperated sigh. "You know yesterday was my birthday, right?"

"Of course I knew that. Birthdays are pointless. Woohoo, you survived another year in Neptune. Congrats." Dick drummed his hands on the steering wheel, and avoided looking over at his sister.

"You're such an asshole. What's your problem?"

"I have no problem. You have a problem. It's called Logan Echolls and how you are so wrapped up in him."

"What the HELL are you talking about Dick?" Wynne surely wasn't in the mood for his generic talk. He wasn't making any sense to her.

Well, Dick often didn't make sense, but that was beside the point.

"Dude, I was chatting with my good friend Casey today, you know, your _boyfriend_, and he said all you do is talk about Logan. You called him last night. You slept at his place. You got a ride with him to school. _Ooooooh._"

"God forbid I fraternize with your friends." Wynne snapped at him.

"That's not the point, Chipper. It's all Logan with you lately."

She bit her lip. She didn't want to reply to him. If she did, it would just piss him off even more. It wasn't her fault Logan was being more like a brother lately than he was.

"Whatever."

Maybe it _was_ her fault.

She always pegged Dick as clueless, and conceited. He probably did truly care about her.

Wynne just had no idea how to talk to him about it.

No idea at all.

--

From the moment they got back to the Casablancas household, Wynne stayed upstairs in her room. She did not want to interact with Dick, or with Kendall. She spent her time thinking about everything in her life. Everything and everyone.

Kendall, well, words couldn't describe how much Wynne loathed her.

Dick, he just showed his emotions in an odd way.

Logan, he just cared. Which was almost unusual for the snobby son of a movie star.

Casey, was just as confusing as any other guy Wynne had in her life.

Cassidy, Beaver.. he was just a mess.

Wynne couldn't blame him for being so out of it. It was just lately... it had seemed like he was more out of it than usual. As a kid, he had always been bullied by both Dick Jr. and Dick Sr. Wynne luckily just got to spend time with her mother, and avoided any harrassment from her brothers.

That's why Wynne had been so happy about playing softball with Cassidy.

Until things got weird with softball.

With Woody.

The thing that bothered Wynne the most was that she and Cass never talked about it. They never discussed what happened. Not once.

They didn't talk after the car crash, when Marcos and Peter died. They didn't say a word.

That's what bothered Wyne.

She sighed and shook her head, laying on her bed and staring up at the ceiling.

Everything was a bit messy these days. Dick was angry at her. Logan was honest and nice. Kendall hated her. And Cass was just there.

Wynne's thoughts were interuppted by someone knocking at her door.

"Come in." she replied quickly, sitting up in her bed a bit to see who was at the door.

It was Cass himself.

"Where were you last night?" he asked his sister, a smile on his face.

"Oh shut up. If you've gotta know, Casey ditched me on the beach, Logan picked me up, we spent an hour or so in jail, he told off Kendall and I slept at his suite."

"Well, I didn't get to give you your birthday present."

Wynne smiled. Finally something.

"Here." he extended his hand out, and in them was a new cell phone.

"What? How did you know I-"

"You went to my girlfriend for tech help. It's really from us. She picked it out. Comes with like, music capabilities and all that stuff."

"Awww, thanks Cass." She hopped off her bed and went over to her brother and gave him a hug.

"No problem. You okay though?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you.. about.. something."

_Bring it up casually, or he'll just run out, Wynne,_ she told herself.

"Sure. What about?" He stuck his hands in his pocket and gazed over at his sister.

"Softball."

There was a small silence between them both.

"No, Chipper. No." He said simply. He looked into her eyes, and his innocence was back. For a moment, they looked at each other like they used to. When they used to be better friends.

"Mac's here, I'll be downstairs if you need me."

And he left. He dropped the phone on her dressed as he left, and shut the door harshly on his way.

Wynne wanted to cry.

Things weren't getting any better for her.


	14. Chapter 14

_I cannot even explain how sorry I am this took so long to get out. My year got super busy (that's what a part time job and actual classes that give homework does to you) so this was like, my last thing to do. But I recently had some time to rewatch season three of VM (omg i miss it so) and I was very inspired to move this along. i never intended for it to die like it did, and I'm certainly planning on finishing it in a few chapters. i'm playing around with the season two storyline in this one, because the events that initially occur don't happen in this order, but they all happened basically. and i'm skipping some episodes too, sorta. yeah._

_please just enjoy this:)_

_--_

Wynne wasn't sure what to do with herself. The Sadie Hawkins dance was a day away, and she hadn't asked anyone. It wasn't even the usual feelings of curiosity, and the feeling that no one would ask you, because it was the other way around this time. FBLA was hosting it, so when it came down to it, she could just work the front table with Gia Goodman if she didn't find a date.

She could always ask 'Honorary Deputy' Logan Echolls, but that was way too easy. Plus she was trying to distance herself from her brother and any of his friends, since his last outburst. She still wasn't sure if he was talking to her. She couldn't find herself caring. But it was hard not talking to Logan now.

Although, on the plus side, by following her own rule of 'Don't talk to Dick or his friends', she didn't need to talk to Casey.

Casey Gant, who left her at the beach then complained to her own brother about her, was groveling. He was waiting at her locker between every class, he continuously called her cell phone, he emailed and emailed.

She finally agreed on talking to him at lunch, mainly to get him to shut up and stop. As she approached the cafeteria area outside, she contemplated where to sit. If she was going to talk to Casey, she didn't want to be around her brother. But she didn't want to stray too far from her comfortable 09er area. She opted for an empty table just outside of the usual one she sat at, which was still within a comfort zone. She twisted open her cranberry-grapefruit vitamin water and took a sip. She was nervous suddenly, but she wasn't too sure why.

She was pissed at Casey. He left her on the beach. Why was she nervous? He should be nervous.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Casey himself, sliding into the seat across from her.

"Hey." He said quickly, biting his lip a bit. Wynne's heart skipped a beat. The lip bite was way too adorable to her.

"You know what, you go. You talk." she said to him, fiddling with her cell phone in her hands. She hated confrontation. And really he was the one who wanted to talk to her.

"Okay. So. I realize leaving you on the beach wasn't the best move-"

Wynne couldn't help but laugh.

"You're starting out great, Casey."

"Just let me finish, okay?" He looked at her genuinely, and she stayed quiet. "Have you forgotten who you're talking to? I'm Casey Gant, okay? I wrote the jackass Bible, the jackass Koran, the jackass Talmud. I have a hard time acting rationally, Wynne."

"This whole.. trying to win me back thing doesn't seem to be going right." she said, shrugging.

"Do you want to be.. won back?"

"Of course I do. I realize you had a .. weak moment." She leaned in a bit closer to him. "It was a bad moment."

He leaned in closer as well, lowering his voice, "If I could take it all back, I would." She smiled. "Considering the lashing a certain Echolls gave me about it anyway."

"Logan? Really?"

"He is looking out for you. And I know you're not in love with the guy."

"It's hard to be in love with a guy when I'm desperately in _like_ with another." She said softly, inches away from his face. "His name's Casey, you should meet him."

She could feel his breath against her lips as he replied, "He sounds charming."

Before their lips inevitably touched, there was sounds of chaos coming from the other side of the courtyard. Then the sound of a gunshot. A look of horror shot across Wynne's face as she looked around, unsure about what to do. Before she realized what was happening, Casey had grabbed her and pulled her down beside the table. The gun sounded again, and Wynne buried her head in his chest.

"Don't worry. You're fine, it's okay.." He murmured softly into her ear, rubbing her back.

"Who is it?" she asked almost inaudiably.

"Lucky. The janitor." Wynne peaked her head up a bit, and she could hear the shooter's mumblings. Something about _his girl_, another mention of Gia. Before anyone realized what was happened, it seemed someone had tackled him to the ground. But more gunshots sounded again. Then people were getting up, at the arrival of the school security gaurds.

"Wynne, it's over. It's okay."

She looked up at him again, "Go to the Sadie Hawkins Dance with me."

"What? Is that really what you're asking me? I don't think this is the right time and-"

"I know Dick doesn't want us dating, and I know this is complicated, and I know you can feel how fast my heart is beating right now." He couldn't help but realize there were tears strolling down her face too. "Go with me."

"Of course, Wynne."

--

The Sadie Hawkins Dance had gone smoothly. Wynne found herself being more and more comfortable around Casey, but she kept up her wall. She wasn't sure if anyone could break it down. That was the least of her worries. Current issue on the plate: Senior Prom.

Now, Wynne wasn't a senior. So she never had the intention of going to prom. But at the end of the last dance at Sadie Hawkins, a slow song just to fit the mood, Casey had asked her to go. And of course she couldn't say no in a situation like that.

Wynne had called up her best friend Gillian to see if she wanted to go dress shopping, but she was spending the weekend with her mother and sister. A girls weekend. Wynne just rolled her eyes and told her to have fun. She desperately wished her mother was available for such things, or even a sister for her to shop with. But instead she got stuck with a sex-driven brother and a neurotic-quiet brother. Life could wind up unfair sometimes.

Wynne made her way through the hallways after the last bell, in search of Mac. She got the feeling something she and her brother weren't on the best terms lately, because she hadn't seen her around the house in a while.

She found her outside Veronica's locker moments later, with Wallace and that Jackie girl. They all seemed to be discussing prom, and Wynne appeared in front of Mac just as she was complaining about going with that Butters kid. Until...

_Attention students. Due to a significant number of alcohol violations on the senior trip, this year's prom has been cancelled. That is all._

"Yes! Prayer works." Wynne smiled at Mac's outburst, but she could tell Wallace and his girl were disappointed.

"Oh hey Wynne, I didn't see you there." Mac said, turning her attention towards her.

"Well I just got here. But, damn it. I was gonna ask you if you wanted to go like.. prom dress shopping, but I guess that's off."

"If it makes you feel any better, I would have gone with you." Mac said, giving her a sympathetic smile.

"Oh well, I'll still have my own senior prom."

There was always a silver lining to life, even if you didn't see it. Apparently the silver lining to being friends with an asshole movie star's son, is that he can throw his own prom. **Alterna-prom**, to be more correct. Basically an open invitation to the Neptune High elite, and Wynne was undoubtly excited about going. She wound up going shopping with Mac afterall, despite the fact that she was going with Butters.

She wound up finding a simple purple dress that cut diagonally by the knee and accented her chest just enough to be classy. She wore her hair down, with a slight curl and was perpared to have a good night.

Casey picked her up at the Casablancas house, and Wynne was extremely happy to see him wearing a matching tie with his outfit. She smiled as he opened the door for her, then got back into the driver's side of his dad's sports car.

As they drove off, she couldn't help but notice he was staring at her. His eyes would dart to the road, then back to her.

"What?" She asked cautiously. She probably had lipstick on her face or something.

"You just.. look.. hot." He paused, "Really beautiful, I mean, but super hot."

She sighed, then smiled, "Get it out of your system now or Dick will kill you."

"I don't even care about your brother anymore, this is our night."

They arrived a bit late the the party, mainly because they wound up making out in his car. She had never realized how fun making out was, and how much she could enjoy it. By the time they got into the elevator, there was no one else traveling up with them.

"Hey," he grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it, "I just want you to know, I got us a room. But that doesn't mean we have to use it or anything, whatever happens happens." She gave him a smile, doing her very best to hide her nervousness. A room? Whatever happens?

What did he expect to happen? Did he think that...? She hoped he didn't, she wasn't sure if she was ready for that step forward. She took in a few deep breaths and her train of thought was broken when the elevator dinged. They were at the top.

"Welcome to Alterna-Prom. If you're going to dance, the dancefloor; if you're going to drink, the bar; and if you're gonna puke, the toilet. Have a good one!"

Logan Echolls was a great host. Wynne walked into his luxury suite safely beneath Casey's arm. She vowed to forget his room comment and wanted to enjoy the evening.

"Well, if it isn't the happy couple," Logan said, his arm motioning into the party, "Do your worst.." Wynne noticed him, too, staring.

"Yes Logan, I have boobs. Move on with your life."

Casey jumped in awkwardly before he could reply, "Let's get a drunk." He directed Wynne towards the _bar_ area.

Bar? Drinks? That was one thing that had slipped Wynne's mind. Casey put together a drink for her, in a nice champagne class and promised her she'd like it. He was nursing a mickey of vodka himself. She reluctantly tried the beverage and was surprised by it's sweet taste. It was the after taste that was worse, but she didn't mind.

Logan watched as Wynne and Casey crossed the party. He was still unsure about them dating. He felt odd being protective of her, but someone had to, right?

"Dude, the probability of me getting laid tonight seems slim."

Logan rolled his eyes at Dick but kept them on Casey. Feeding her drinks?

"I should have been more, like, slow with all these ladies. One of them is bound to not know of my promiscuity, right?"

"Promiscuity?"

"Chipper said it to me once. Good word, don't you think?"

"Speaking of.. it seems like your sister is more likely to get action tonight thatn you are." Logan motioned to her. Dick glanced over to see Casey whispering things in her ear, and her smiling sheepishly.

She wouldn't, he knew she wouldn't. It was his little sister, she had a better mind than that.

Right?

"Oh, fuck Casey Gant." Dick grumbled, rolling his eyes and walking away.

"And what if she does?!" Logan yelled after him, laughing. He took another gulp of his wine bottle. It was going to be a long night.

--

Wynne was on her fifth glass of _something_ and she was really feeling it's effects. Who'd have thought she'd be a lightweight?

She was a bit thankful for the alcohol. By the way Casey was whispering things like "You're making me feel **so** hot right now.." and "I just wannt run my hands all over you." she figured he had intentions to use the rented room. The alcohol just made it seem easier, like it was a good idea. Plus, Casey was just as drunk already.

She wanted to slip out of the party without Dick or Logan seeing. She saw Logan talking to Veronica near the dancing area, and Dick was working his words on Madison Sinclair. It was pretty perfect timing for her.

"C'mon Case, let's go." She said to him over the music. He took her hand and headed towards the door, trying not to fall over things.

In the elevator, they wound up making out again. Wynne didn't even know if other people were in there with them, all she cared about at the time was Casey's lips. They went down a few floors to the 12th.

By the time they were in the room, they were doing a lot of touching on the bed. Wynne could tell where this was going and she was scared out of her mind. It's not that she didn't want to; she did, for Casey. She just wasn't sure if she was ready. But thanks to the alcohol, it was easier to just let it go.

His shirt was off.

Her dress was off.

His pants were off.

Her bra was off.

"You wanna do this?" He asked softly, "It's fine if you don't, we can stop."

She shook her head, "No, let's do it."

There was no turning back now anyway. She just prayed to God she wouldn't remember it all in the morning.

--

_I have BIG plans for the next chapter or so. Oh, you're bound to enjoy it, because I am enjoying writing it. **A review would be the epitome of awesome** right now, but if you hate me for updating so late, I understand. I'm going to keep going anyway!_


	15. Chapter 15

_You guyyyyys, thanks for all the feedback! It's certainly wonderful to be.. put on author alert lists or story alert lists, but a review would be nice as well! Not that the ones that I did recieve weren't awesome. I don't know, you'll probably have mixed reactions to whats going to happen within the story now. Wynne's life might start crumbling without realizing it. Yeahhhh, well, you know how season two ended, right?_

--

Fortuneatly, Wynne didn't remember that much when she woke up. Well, she didn't until she blinked her eyes, looked around and pieced things together. She was only wearing her underwear and what seemed to be a wifebeater of Casey's. She looked beside her on the bed and he was fully naked, just covered by the sheets. She breathed out softly, feeling a growing headache.

She didn't know what to do. She wasn't sure of the proper post-prom-night etiquette.

All she knew was that she didn't want to be in that room anymore, and that alcohol was off her things to do again for a while.

She slipped out of the bed and quickly pulled her dress back on. She grabbed her shoes off the floor then glanced around for her purse. It was no where to be seen. She sighed and threw her shoes back to the ground. The noise came out a bit loud, must have been the clacking of the heels, and woke Casey from his slumber abruptly. He rolled over towards the noise, eyes half shut and glanced at her.

"Leaving?"

"I need to be clean."

"There's a shower here. I could join you."

"Go back to sleep, okay? I need clean clothes too. Uhm, call me later, okay?"

She wasn't even sure if she wanted to talk to him later. It seemed like he was already looking at her differently. Like all he saw was her naked. She slipped her shoes on and looked back at him quickly, but he was already sleeping again.

She quietly left the hotel room and got on the elevator, heading up. She must have left her purse in Logan's suite. She got off on the top floor and made her way to his door. She could feel her headache more than ever now. She shut her eyes for a moment, then quickly knocked.

A few moments later, the door opened.

"Chipper?"

"Didn't we establish my name is Wynne?" She didn't wait for his response. "I believe I left my purse here."

"It's probably with all that other shit, over there. He let her in and motioned to the remains of the drink table. It seemed like a lot of left over things were there. Shoes, earrings, wallets, socks, purses, cellphones.

"Sorry if I woke you, I just needed my phone and some cash to call a cab home..."

he sat down on the couch and watched her scavenge for her purse, "I see you're still wearing the same clothes as last night."

Before she could retort another voice jumped in, "Logan! Was that the room service, kitten?"

She turned around to see her step mother emerging from Logan's room.

"What are **you** doing here?" Kendall shot at her, crossing her arms.

"She was just on her way. Wynne, just charge the cab to me downstairs." Wynne shot a glare at Logan.

She couldn't believe him. He followed her as she finally found her purse on the floor and headed towards the doorway.

"You make me sick, Logan." She shut her eyes for a moment.

"Oh, you're the one to talk, Chipper. I saw you leave with Cas-"

She cut him off before he could reveal more of his snark, "Oh god, I'm seriously going to be sick." She pushed passed him and ran into his bathroom.

Wynne spent the next half hour puking in Logan's toilet. She locked herself in and ignored him as he yelled from the doorway.

"Seriously, Chipper, are you dying or what? She suddenly threw open the door, but remained at the sink, washing her face.

"Finally. What, did you not eat anything before you drank?"

"I didn't eat anything at all yesterday." She replied softly, looking at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were smudged with left over make-up and shadowed by baggy circles beaneath them. She looked pretty terrible, and she felt pretty terrible too.

Logan just sighed but didn't comment.

"So, what happened with Casey?"

"What are you? My gay best friend? For your information, I simply fell asleep in his room. He passed out fast too, and is still down there sleeping."

Lies, lies, lies.

"Why are you in such a rush to get home then?"

"Oh, fuck off Logan. Go hump my step-mom or something." She pushed passed him again and rished towards the elevator. As she stepped on, she passed Veronia Mars stepping off, giving her a confused glance.

All Wynne wanted was to sleep away her weekend and have a fresh week ahead of her.

Fresh certainly didn't mean free of chaos, though.

--

Monday was worse than she imagined. She still hadn't talked to Casey since the morning after prom. Their only contact was him sending a text reading _I don't know how it happened_. It just left her even more confused. She hadn't even replied to it.

Did the rest of the text not send? Did he mean to send it to someone else? If he did, was he talking about what they did? Or a completely different topic?

Lunch is where things began to go downhill.

Well, it was actually during third period. Geography. That was when she noticed. She had basically slept through first and second period already. But once third started, there was pointing and whispering. That was never a good sign. And things just got worse from there.

At lunch, she headed out towards the 09er section of the outdoor cafeteria. Not many people had appeared at the tables yet, so she just grabbed her notebook and doodled as she nibbled on a sandwich. Casey appeared soon after, and he looked rather frantic.

"Case, what's wrong?" She watched him sit down, his nervousness evident.

"I don't know how it happened..." He leaned in towards her.

"How... **what** happened?" She bit her lip, "Casey, tell me!"

"Someone, on prom night, when we were.." he paused, letting her fill in the thought then continued, ".. my phone must have been lost in the sheets. Somehow a recording.. was sent to people... of us.."

Wynne's eyes shot open. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know how to feel or how to react.

"I think it was only sent to a few numbers, but who knows who might have heard it.."

Wynne was staring blankly into the distance, trying her best not to start hyperventilating.

"How do you know?" Her voice was barely audible.

"Someone patted me on the back this morning, saying 'Good jon, dude' and I was really confused. So I asked him about it.."

She started breathing heavy.

"Casey, what are we going to do?"

"I have no idea..." He rested his arm over her torso and gently rubbed her back.

"I mean, I can barely remember that night as it is... this really doesn't help." She spoke, the worry prominent in her voice.

"I know."

"What was on the recording?" She had played with his phone millions of times before. An accidental push of a side button on the phone lead to audio recording ability, only about 30 seconds long. Only one more button had to be hit to send to all the most recent numbers called in the system.

Casey fiddled with the phone in his hands.

"It's still on it, I was going to delete it but I thought you might wanna hear it."

That was the last thing she wanted.

"Did you listen to it?" She asked, her voice quiet and distant.

He nodded, "Don't be mad though."

"I'm not mad Casey, I know it's not your fault. I'm just scared about how things will play out now.. about who heard it and the fact that it's still out there being listened to.."

He handed her the phone. "Just listen." She brought it to her ear.

The sounds were a bit muffled at first. Then she could head the sheets moving, some mumbled words, heaving breathing, Casey saying her name breathlessly...

There it was, audio proof of her losing her virginity. That the whole school probably heard by now. There was no way they could undo it. She wished so much that she could, that she could just go back and tell Casey 'No, not tonight' or at least make sure his phone was on the table across the room. This would just lead to bad things, and bad reactions. It would blow over, sure, but it's not something you forget about over time. She'll always be known as that girl on that recording. She was really favouring being known as 'Dick's sister' more now.

What worried her most was knowing both her brother's reactions to it. Dick would be mad. He'd be outright angry about it. Wynne kind of wished it was like it used to be, when Dick pretended not to care. Cassidy would probably be upset, even disappointed. Jealous that she was getting the attention even? No, not anymore. They had too much between them to be jealous of each other. She was really worried about Logan's reaction to it, too. He seemed to really like looking out for her, and she was thankful, but she had already lied to him about it. She wasn't sure about how he'd react.

She suddenly dropped his phone as she noticed someone running towards the table they were sitting at.

Dick. And he did not look happy. Well, that was a bit of an understatement. Wynne wasn't sure if he was going to be more mad that his sister slept with one of his best friends? Or that his one of his best friends slept with his little sister? Or that he had a recording of it?

Or maybe it was those last two put together.

"So, Gant, what's your death wish?" Dick spoke loudly, using one hand to sleep his hair out of his eyes.

Casey tried to defend himself, "Dick, listen, it wasn't suppo-"

Dick interuppted him and kept talking, "I hope it wasn't something crazy like to sleep with my sister.. OH WAIT, you already did that!"

Wynne jumped up, a few heads turning towards her. Her cheeks were blazing red. People were whispering, and staring and pointing now. She could hardly breathe.

"Dick, stop it."

"Don't start with me, you little.. slut."

Wynne met his eyes with disbelief. He just looked away and went back to Casey. How could he say that? He had no right. He was her brother, he shouldn't think like that. He should love her regardless, and be defending her from other people who call her that.

"Hey, don't talk to her life that!"

Casey stood up now too. He was face to face with Dick, inches apart, their eyes locked.

"Are you aware that she's 15?" Dick exclaimed, his anger growing.

"I'm surprised you even know that! And what? I'm not even 18 for two more weeks. And we were both drunk at the time. I didn't take advantage of her, nor did I do it without her consent. Contrary to what you know and believe I respect her and I love her and wouldn't do something to hurt her."

Wynne was frozen in her spot. She didn't know what to do. Here was her boyfriend and her brother fighting over something she was directly involved with. All she wanted to do was run off crying.

Dick had called her a slut.

Casey said he loved her.

"Oh, because that makes it all better?"

She took one step towards her brother, in an attempt to stop this whole situation.

"Okay, that's enough."

"Move, Chipper." Dick lightly shoved her out of the way.

"Don't touch her!"

That's when Casey shoved Dick.

That's when Dick slugged Casey.

That's when the chaos ensued.


	16. Chapter 16

_Hey you. Yeah, you, the reader. I'm really sorry it's been ages since an update. I think about this story probably every night, but sometimes it gets hard to find the inspiration and motivation to get the story out. I know exactly where it's going, it's just tough to get it out of my heads, through my hands and out via the keyboard. Please don't hate me, but don't expect something crazy like an update next week. A few weeks maybe. Just enjoy this one, and... just thank you. Thank you for reading, for reviewing, for enjoying. It means the world to me._

* * *

That's when the chaos ensued.

Wynne didn't stick around as the punches flew. This was the last thing she expected to happen when she woke up in the morning. Not only did she hate fighting, it was even worse when it was two people she cared for involved in it.

Yeah, people she cared for. Even though they may think she's a slut.

She decided it was best to flee the scene. More and more people were gathering around the two brawling now. She just let out a low grown and ran into the school. It was still the lunch hour and plenty of people were all over the hallways eating and socializing.

Well, they _were_ eating and socializing until that one kid Corny ran through the halls.

"People! Two top oh-niners: Casey Gant and Dick Casablancas, fighting."

More people ran outside than Wynne would have hoped.

She decided to do what any normal teenage girl would do in her situation: she ran into the washroom to find an empty stall to cry in.

The one time she wished and wished for no one else to be in the washroom, there was a pile sophomores wearing far too much make up. And Veronica Mars, who seemed to be just as unimpressed as Wynne was with the group. Veronica gave Wynne a quick hopeful look, then nodded her head.

Wynne shuffled to the back wall of the washroom, and watched Veronica work her magic. The petite blonde slowly walked into a stall and flushed the toilet, then rushed out.

"Oh. My. God." The 'valley girl' persona shaped her voice perfectly. She moved towards the girls at the sink. "I, like, don't know what happened to that toilet." She paused as most of the girls turned to look at her. "Totally... ew." All five of them looked at each other, grabbed their oversized purses and ran out of the room.

"Nice." Wynne commented, laughing. She sunk down the wall and sat on the cold floor.

"Not the first time I've cleared a room so quickly." Veronica replied, shrugging her shoulders. "You hiding out in here for any particular reason?"

Wynne sighed then folded her arms together. She wasn't sure if she was genuinely concerned or curious or just making conversation.

"The fight you'll be hearing about all afternoon was started over me, kinda." She shook her head. "I really hate guys. And brothers. Mostly just men in general."

"At 15?"

"You'd be surprised." Wynne just shrugged then pulled herself up off the floor. She didn't want to hide out in the bathroom all afternoon, she just needed to leave. She gave Veronica a small smile and headed to the door.

"Hey, Wynne?" She turned to face Veronica. "Just remember, it could be worse."

Wynne nodded, and turned to leave, whispering softly, "You'd be surprised."

--

Wynne liked to find the silver lining to every situation. For example, the upside to her stepmother being stricken with infidelity and a short attention span meant she was hardly ever at home. And on a day where school is the last place she wanted to be, going home sounded perfect to Wynne. Her only issue was that she didn't have a ride to get there.

She didn't want to ask Logan. She couldn't ask Dick, clearly. She was too afraid to even talk to Cassidy yet. And Casey was pretty tied up at the moment, too.

She decided on the next best thing: local transit. Neptune had busses that ran around most areas and counties. True, Wynne had never rode a city bus before. Nor did she know how the transit system worked. But it couldn't be that hard, right?

If only.

By the time Wynne even realized the bus she wound up on wasn't going near her house, she was already lost. This was the first moment in her life where she truly had no idea what might happen. She was out of place on a city bus. Everyone was a bit lower class than her. People were even staring. She had no idea what to do next, or where to go, or what other bus to get on. She decided to just get off at the next terminal and try to figure things out. There had to be some lost or map to follow.

And if all else failed, her last resort was Casey, pending he got suspended and had left the school property.

She stepped of the bus and took a look at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was. There was the terminal behind her, a small video rental place to her left and a convenience store across the street. She sighed and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Dead.

No battery power left.

She was beginning to feel this way about her life.

Wynne took a seat on the bench outside the terminal and sighed. She contemplated her options. She could go across the street, get change and get on another bus. Or she could go across the street and get change and call someone. As she thought about these, she thought she could hear the faint sound of a motorcycle zipping passed. She looked up but didn't see anyone now. But considering her location, it was pretty likely there were bikers zooming around.

She closed her eyes for a moment, considering who she could call to pick her up now. There was Cassidy, who may not have-

Her train of thought was interrupted.

"I thought I recognized those shoes."

Wynne was almost thankful to hear that rough voice.

"You're in the wrong part of town, little one."

"Weevil, just so you know, I haven't moved. So unless you're still an asshole about my area code, just stop talking now."

He laughed, rolling his eyes a bit. He scrunched up his face for a moment.

"I'm over that. But if that's your attitude, off I go."

"Yeah, sure. It's not like you're going to just walk away and leave me here." Weevil rolled his eyes at her comment. "Seriously. If you even get back on your bike and start it up, you'll pause and just turn back and finally ask me why I'm here. It's killing you inside."

"You know, I liked you better when you were a shy little freshmen with a loud locker. You were quiet." He shook his head. "And besides, I already know why you're here."

Her tough demeanor disappeared within moments. She felt vulnerable, and awkward again. Did he get the recorded thing on his phone too? Had it really been forwarded that much? Would it ever just go away?

"Before you say anything, just know whatever the hell was on that recording was not heard by my ears. I just deleted it." He gave her a smile, a genuine smile. He reached behind and grabbed his helmet, and extended it in his arms to her. "Where to?"

--

Wynne seemed to be having terrible cases of deja vu lately. She was back at the Neptune Grand. Again. She had been to this esteemed hotel one too may times lately. It usually ended up being to see Logan, or to be at Logan's apartment for an event. But luckily this time it wasn't for that at all. Wynne was here for herself, because she couldn't go back home.

Not now. At least not at this point in time. She didn't feel safe there.

_Weevil had done the proper thing, and had driven her home. He only needed a little instruction, cursing that he knew her area code and that he had a general idea what her house probably looked like. He stopped just outside her driveway, cutting the gas to the bike and letting her step off. She handed him back his helmet._

_"Can I ask you a question?" she spoke, brushing her hand through her hair. She was sure that even though it wasn't wind blown, it was out of place and unruly._

_"Shoot."_

_"Why? Why are you nice to me? Why do you even talk to me? I don't get it."_

_"You really have no faith in yourself, do ya' All-Star?" He met her blank stare. "You're different from the rest. You don't go around acting better than anyone, or like you're better than acting like that. You just are yourself. And that is a rare quality. I've taken a liking to you. If you don't stop asking me questions, the liking may fade." He was kidding, of course. She gave him a nervous smile and nodded. _

_She waved as she walked towards her house, clutching her bag in her arms. She was wondering who might be home, who might talk to her first. There was a truck she didn't recognize sitting in the driveway. And Dick's own silver truck was no where to be seen. Curious._

_She walked through the front door of the house, and glanced around. She didn't really hear anyone. She was off the hook for the night it seemed. No one could confront her now. She walked towards the kitchen, suddenly very hungry. She had barely eaten throughout the day, she realized as she retraced her steps of events that had unfolded. That's when she heard the noise._

_Just off the kitchen was her dad's office, and she heard people talking in there. She headed towards the room, and peered inside._

_"What the hell are you doing here?" _

_Wynne sighed, and immediately regretted even walking down the hallway. Kendall. "I live here, remember?" She replied, turning back towards the kitchen._

_"Wait." Kendall called to her step daughter, following her. A strange man followed her. Wynne paused and turned back around._

_"Oh, who's the new manwhore?"_

_Kendall scoffed, "Oh shut up. Do you know the combo to your dad's safe?"_

_"Seems your rich daddy was actually a little bit smart. __**I**__ can't even break that lock." The man said, swearing under his breath._

_"Who are you again?"_

_"None of your fuckin' business, kid. Just tell me the combo." _

_Kendall just stood there, crossing her arms. Wynne flinched. She hated being called kid._

_"My name is not kid. And I don't know the combo." She rolled her eyes and started to walk away. She felt someone grasp her arm._

_"You better not be lying to me, __**kid**__. Or you'll be sorry." She quickly pulled her arm free and hurried away from the two, and out of the house. She dashed down the driveway contemplating what to do. She could go to the neighbour's house and actually call Casey this time. Or she could call Dick. Or Cassidy. Then she noticed Weevil still there, pacing in front of his motorcycle._

_"You're still here?"_

_"Man, All-Star, if you had been in there another minute I would have ran in after you. That's a Fitzpatrick truck. I had no idea what the hell was going on."_

It seemed like Weevil was just saving the day over and over again. She was awkwardly grateful. And when they stopped outside the Neptune Grand she assured him she would be fine, she'd just call her brothers or get a room. He had done enough.

It was weird how things could turn out.

Wynne was really tired of being awake. She didn't want to think anymore. Too many things were going on, and had happened throughout the day and it was barely eight at night. She walked up to the front counter in the lobby and went into her purse. She pulled out her credit card (she had gotten it at the age of 13, something from her mom to appease her for never seeing her), and a letter she often had to show store owners that states it's actually hers, and she has permission to use it.

After requesting a room, any room, the girl at the front just looked at the card then back at her.

"How old are you?" She was chewing gum. Loudly.

"15. Look, I've been using that card for years. And I know it's not maxxed out."

"Yeah." She smacked her gum. "But, we can't rent out rooms to people under 18 without parental permission. Unless it's some special circumstance."

"Logan Echolls has a suite here! And you won't even rent me some shitty second floor room?"

"Like I said," She smacked her gum again, "Special circumstance."

"Please, I really need something. Anything." The girl just smacked her gum again and handed the card back. "Fine. I'll just go sleep on those plush couches. How about that? Will you charge me for it? WAIT, you won't. Because you would rather smirk behind that counter, chewing your gum in a way that makes any normal person want to end their life, and not help me out. Thanks for nothing."

Then Wynne heard someone clapping. And the girl at the desk began to smile, as if her heart was melting. Wynne turned around and there stood Logan Echolls. Typical.

_"It's times like this I begin to wonder where I went wrong, and what this is paying me back for.."_ Wynne thought to herself as he walked over towards her. The last thing she wanted was to talk to him. She didn't even know where to begin. Was he even going to talk to her? Probably not. He probably hated her. For what she did with Casey, for being another crazy teenage girl, for being so stubborn, for somehow having a short recording of what she did with Casey-

Her thoughts were cut off completely when she finally met his eyes. They weren't criticizing her, they weren't filled with haste and anger. They seemed honest. And behind the smirk lining his face, behind his cover of the arrogant, sarcastic jackass, there was something else. Sympathy even. Might it even be love, or compassion? She felt like she might cry again. And she didn't want to, not in the lobby of some hotel in front of Logan.

For some reason he noticed this too. Before she collapsed on the floor, he was at her side, tucking his arm over his shoulder.

She wasn't sure why he was doing it. And neither was he.


	17. Chapter 17

_so this semester that just passed had me in a creative writing class. and everyday we had daily warm ups, for like ten minutes of solid writing. and most of the time i would ignore the teacher's prompts and simply write bits and pieces of conversation i thought wynne and logan would have. so a lot of those are in this chapter. sorry it's been so long, my life has legitimately been a whirlwind these past few months. just bear with me, okay?_

--

It's not that it was awkward. The last thing it could be would be awkward. There was just an under the surface tension in the room. Wynne was seated on the couch, biting the nail of her right thumb. She wasn't sure what to say or what to do. Logan was seated at the other end of the couch, aimlessly flipping through channels on the television.

Logan picked up the phone sitting beside him. He was hungry.

"So what do you want to eat?" She gave him a confused glance. She shifted her hands and tangled one within the other. Okay, so maybe it was a bit awkward. Maybe it was the elephant in the room.

"I'm not hungry," she replied simply.

"Chipper, you almost passed out in the lobby downstairs. I'll force feed you if I have to. When did you eat last?"

Wynne bit her lip. "Well, I had some sandwich at lunch, before, well, ya know, the fight."

"And I'm going to assume you skipped breakfast. Therefore, you're eating something." He picked up the phone, and before dialing gave her a 'Well, come on then' kind of look.

"Fine. A Caesar salad, with light dressing. And some spring water." Logan rolled his eyes, but nodded his head as he pressed a few numbers.

"Evening Sheryl. Yeah, just send up the usual for me." He paused. "Yeah. A chicken Caesar salad, a strawberry shake and some Reese Puffs. The whole box is fine."

Wynne sighed. "How did you even know I liked Reese Puffs?"

"I've picked up on some things, okay?" The pair continued to sit there in a lingering silence, awaiting their food. Logan aimlessly flipped through more channels. Wynne was wringing her hands together, and occasionally glancing over at Logan.

"That's it. Please say something." She said quietly, turning her head towards him.

He looked over at her, and their eyes locked, "Do you regret it?" He didn't need to say anymore. She didn't want to hear that from him. She'd rather him tell her how disappointed he was, or how he couldn't look at her the same. But just four words coming from him, silently judging her, broke her. It pained her inside to think that is all he would say. She thought there was more to him.

"No. I don't." She pulled herself off the couch and swiftly left the area, heading out onto the balcony. Logan didn't follow her. A little piece of her was hoping he would have. Hoping he would follow right away, and throw some snarky comment her way. But nothing.

Wynne stepped to the edge of the balcony, leaning on the wall and gazing out on the town. The sun had just set, but was still leaving a hazy glow over the city. It all seemed so restless and simple. But beneath the perfection of the skyline was restrictiveness, lonley people and turmoil. It was never perfect. It couldn't be. Wynne backed away from her view and layed down on one of the two beach chairs. She closed her eyes and wished for home, warm and certainty. It would all be easier that way.

Wynne didn't recall falling asleep, but she must have. When she was awoke by Logan, it only seemed like moments had passed. It must have been at least half an hour, because the sky was shades darker and the air was crisper. There was a blanket covering most of Wynne's body now, too.

"Food," Logan said simply, placing a tray on the end of the chair for her. She gave him a weak smile and sat up, laying her eyes on the salad. Now that she saw it, she couldn't believe how hungry she was. She took a few bites of the salad and felt a bit better already. As they finished their meals (Logan had a steak), the silence returned. Wynne grabbed her phone from her pocket and toyed around with it a bit, desperately contemplating calling Casey. She really wanted to talk to him.

"So.. do you hear from your dad anymore?" Wynne's head perked up at Logan's question. He was leaning back in his chair, with his head turned in her direction.

"Uhm, I occasionally get these weird encrypted emails that I assume are from him. It'll have like the number of my birthday and love you or something along those lines. I don't even know where he is or if people are looking for him or anything. My mom on the other hand emails me weekly. I even get the random text from her. That's just awkward. My mom shouldn't know how to text...." She trailed off. "Uhm, can we move inside maybe? I'm getting a bit cold, even with the blanket." She gave him another small smile, a polite thank you for his attempt at making her warm. He nodded his head and they moved onto the couch inside.

The silence still followed.

"Can I talk?" She said suddenly. She just wanted his assured silence. "Like, just let me ramble, okay?"

"Don't I always let you ramble?" Logan quipped back, raising an eyebrow.

"Just... let me talk." Logan made the motion of locking his lips and tossing away an imaginary key. She sighed. _Well, here goes nothing._

"Earlier... I lied. I do regret it. But not in the way you think. The fact that it was with Casey was perfect, well not perfect, but its not like it was just some random. The fact that it happened after five months, in some hotel room, while I was drunk for the first time in my life on the other hand, ultimate regret. Clearly I could have said no, and before you even say anything, no, Casey didn't take advantage of me. I just went for it. Why not? At most I was hoping I wouldn't remember it by the morning. And he said he loved me. Maybe I don't think I know what love is, or how it feels, but he loves me. I don't know what else to say. It's just something I don't mind hearing him say, or when he calls me pretty, because I've never had that before." She paused and looked at him. He was listening. She couldn't read his face, though.

"I've tried to be independent my whole life. I mean, obviously I had my family but I always did things on my own. The only group thing I ever did was playing softball or baseball or whatever as a kid and that was only cause Cass was there. I know all this stuff is stupid and stuff I shouldn't have to worry about at the tender age of 15 but my mind is always racing. Always. Like, what if I had been on that godforsaken bus when it went off the cliff? Or what if I had went to Pan High this year instead of Neptune? Or what if I had moved with my mom after the divorce? I could have been that. My life could be so much different if I had just left 6 years ago. I stayed because of Cass. And Dick, I guess. And my Dad. But where has that left me? Cass barely talks to anyone anymore. Dick thinks I'm a slut. And my dad is nonexistent. It all seems so trivial and pointless and I just want to forget the world sometimes."

There was a silence. Wynne took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing_.

"And I've never said this to anyone. Anyone. There is no one to talk to about it. I played baseball, right? Well, when we were younger, me and, well, no, nevermind who else. I was put into this weird position with.. like, oh how do I say this, someone I trusted... or I must have trusted and-" Wynne's train of thought was broken by the sound of Logan's phone ringing. He sat there ignoring it.

"Just keep talking. Whatever. It's just the phone."

"No, answer it. Aren't you waiting on a call from Veronica or something?" Logan sighed and reached his arm over and picked up the phone.

"Yes? Oh yeah, hold on one second." He clutched the phone in his palm, covering the reciever. "It's Casey."

Wynne let out a sigh.

"Want me to claim you aren't here even though he knows you are? I could say you're in the bathroom or shower or-"

"No, I'll talk to him." She stood up and stepped away from the couch, taking the phone out of Logan's hand.

"Hello?"

"Wynne, oh my god. Why aren't you answering your phone?"

"It's probably still on silent from school...." She trailed off. "Are you mad at me?"

"What? Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because I'm at Logan's."

"Oh, c'mon Wynne." She could hear him smiling. "You know I'm over that. Logan and I have talked about it, don't worry. If anything you should be mad at me!"

"Because of the fight? Of course I'm not mad. You were defending me. You didn't call me a slut, unlike someone."

"You know he didn't mean that, Wynne."

"Of course he did. It's Dick."

"But that doesn't make it true."

Wynne just sighed. It was a completely irrelevant topic to argue about. She was just happy to talk to Casey, to hear his words.

"Wynne?"

"Yeah?"

"Listen, stay at my house tonight. My parents aren't home, so I'll be lonely anyway. Please. If you say no, my trip here will be useless."

"Wait, where are you?"

"In the elevator." There was a pause. "And I can hear you smiling, so I'm assuming that is a yes." Wynne dropped the phone and made her way quickly towards the door, fumbling to open the locks. She threw the door open and looked down to see Casey exiting the elevator. As he approached, Wynne could see the outcome of the fight. The right side of his face was swollen and his left eye was bruised.

"Oh my god Casey," she hurried down the hallway and he engulfed her in his embrace. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live. I've doused myself in some pain killers." He smiled and gave some space between him and her, though not letting go. "Hey wanna do me a favour and call Beaver? He won't stop calling me. Apparently you forgot you have a cell phone?" He reached into his pocket and handed her the phone. "You call. I'll go talk to Logan. And I'll grab your stuff."

"I didn't even think of calling him. Yeah, I'll do that now." She gave him one last smile then made her way down the hall, dialing Cassidy's number. Casey followed Logan back into the suite and shut the door, leaving her with her privacy in the hall.

"We need to talk, Echolls," Casey said once they stepped inside.

Logan shot him a confused look, "What? Breaking up with me, Gant?" He paused. "And before you start, I didn't call her. I didn't text her. Don't be mad at her or me, because ours paths simply crossed in the hallway. She nearly fainted."

"What do you mean she nearly fainted?"

"Have you not caught on? Are you that oblivious to your own girlfriend? Casey, she barely eats."

"And that's my problem?"

"You're a fucking idiot."

"You know what? Screw you, Logan. You aren't part of this relationship, so your opinion doesn't count."

Logan sighed and rolled his eyes, "Fine. Whatever. Let me just ask you one more thing."

"What's happens this summer and next year? I heard you got into Brown."

"Yeah... so?"

"What are you gonna do? You and Wynne?"

"I don't know right now. Maybe we'll break up, yeah I'll probably end up breaking things off while I'm gone."

"That's it?"

"Why do you fucking care, Logan?"

"She's fifteen, Casey. Fifteen! She'll believe anything you tell her, and you're just going to mislead her. You told her you loved her. Do you?"

"Shut the fuck up, dude. Stay out of it. Wynne is _nothing_ to you. Not your sister, certainly not your girlfriend and she doesn't even consider you a friend. **_Nothing_**."

Logan had nothing to say in return.

"Just leave her alone. I swear to God, Echolls, stay away from her."

"Fine, whatever you say. Get out."


End file.
